A VOYAGE Y O THE PACIFIC OCEAN; Undertaken by Command of his MAJESTY* FOR MAKING DISCOVERIES I T H E NORTHERN HEMISPHERE: Performed under the Direction of Captains COOK, CLERKE, and GORE, In the Years 1776, 1777, 1778, 1779, 1780. Being a copious, comprehend ve, and fatisfa&ory Abridgement of the VOYAGE WRITTEN R 1? Captain JAMES COOK, F. R. S. AND Captain JAMES KING, LL. D. and F. R. S. Illuftrated with CUTS, In FOUR VOLUMES. VOL. II. nonDon: PRINTED FOR CHAMPANTE AND WHITROW, JEWRY STREET, ALT* GA1E, AND M« WATSON, HERMITAGE-BRIDGE. »T93 4 *.* CONTENTS. BOOK III. OCCURRENCES AT OTAHEITE AND THE SOCIETY ISLES; AND PROSECUTION OF THE VOYAGE TO THE COAST OF NORTH AMERICA. CHAP. IV. Confederations about Jailing—A Peace or Truce with Eimeo on difadvantageous Terms — Otoo’s Delay infeending Reinforcements cenfured—A Solemnity at the Morai on the Peace— Obfervations thereon —‘•Otoo’s Addrefs and Art—Omai receives a Pre- feent oj a War Canoe—Embellifhes it with Variety of Streamers —- Otoo’s Prefentto his Majefey — Ac¬ count of the Modes ofe Traffic, and the friendly Treatment we rece ded at Otaheite—The Expedi¬ tion of fome Spaniards — Their Endeavours 10 incul¬ cate a mean Opinion f the Enghfei—Omai jealous of another Traveller. Page 1 C H A P. V. Anchor at Talooin Eimeo—The Harbours f Taboo and Parowroah dejcribed—Vfit from Mahe ne, the Chief of Eimeo, who approaches with Caution —Defcription of the Per [on of Maheiue — Pre¬ paration made for failing—Detained by having a Goatfeoltn—That recovered, and another flolen — Menaces ufed to occafeon it to be returned—Expe- Vol. II. b dition VI CONTENTS. dition crofs the IJland , with a Party> in fearch of the Goat — Houfes and Canoes burnt> and other Hojhlities threatened-—-The Goat returned — The IJland dejcribed, &c. Page 2 1 C H A P. VI. The Ships 'arrive at Huaheine—Affembly cf the Chiefs — Omai’s Harangue—His Efiabhfimentin this IJland unanimoufy agreed to—Houfe built for him—Steps taken to enfure his Safety—The Ships injefied with Cock-roaches—Detection and Punifiment of a thief—He efcapes from his Con¬ finement—Animals left with Omai—His Euro¬ pean Weapons—His Entertainments—Infeription on his Houfe—His Behaviour at parting — Re¬ marks on his general Conduit—His Character — Account of the two New-Zealanders who re¬ mained with him. 34 CHAP. VII. Arrival at Ulietea—One of the Marines deferts y but is brought back by Captain Cook—Intelligence from Omai—IndruBions to Captain Clerke — Two others deJert-^The two Captains feek them in vain—The chiefs Son y Daughter y and her Hufband, confined on board the Dijcovery — Unfuccefsful Confpiracy of the Natives 'againfi the Captains—The two Deferters are recover¬ ed—The Chiefs Family fet at Liberty—The Ships Jail—Remarks on the Ulietems—Prejent and former State of their If and. 55 C H A P. VIII. Proceed to Bolabola y accompanied by Oreo and others —Applications to Opoony for Monfeur de Bou¬ gainville r s CONTENTS. rii gainville’s Anchor—Reafonsforpurchafing it — Delicacy of Opoony i in not accepting the Prefent —Quit the Society Iflands—Defcriptionof Bola- hola, and its Harbour—Curious Ilifiory of the Reduction of the two Iflands , Otaha and Ulietea —Bravery of the Men of Bolabola—Account of the Animals left at Boitibola and Ulietea—-Procefs of falting Pork—Curfory Obfermtions r effecting Dtaheite, and the Society Iflands . Page 71 CHAP. IX. Strictures onformer Accounts of Otaheite ■— Thefre- vailing Winds—Beauty and Fertility of the Coun¬ try—Landbut little cultivated — Produce — Na¬ tural Curiof ties—Defeription of the Natives —. Delicacy of the Women—-Their general Charac¬ ter—Difpofedto amorous Gratifications—Their Language—Ignorance of Surgery and Phyfic — Animal Food chiefly eaten by the fuptrior Clafs — Pernicious Effects of Ava—Account of their dif¬ ferent Meals—Connections between the two Sexes — Circumcifion — Religion—Notions concerning Im¬ mortality — Superfiitions—Strange Traditions about the Creation—The King almofi deified — Claffes of the people — Punifhments — Peculiari¬ ties of the adjacent Iflands—Limits of their Navi¬ gation ,. 83 € H A P. X. Profecution of our Voyage, after our Departurefrom the Society I files-—Chrifimas Ifiland difcovered — Supplies of Fifh and Turtle—Solar Eclipfe — Difirefs of two Seamen who had lofi their Way — Singular Mode of ref ref ling himfelf praClifid by me of thefe Stragglers—Inscription left in a Boi~ b 2 vm CONTENTS. tie—Soil of the Ifland defcribed — Tree r and Plants—Birds ,andother A nimals—Further Par¬ ticulars refpe&ing Chrijlmas Ifland . Page 117 CHAP. XL Three IJlands difcovered—The Inhabitants of Atooi approach us in their Canoes—Their Perffis de¬ fcribed—Some of them venture on board—Their Amazement on that 0 ccaf on—Precautionsagainjl importfag the Venereal Difeafe into the Ifland— One of the Natives killed—The fhips cajl An¬ chor — The Commodore*s Reception on landing — His Excurjion into the Country , with Meffrs . Webber and Anderfon—Defcription cf a Moral' and its Obelijk — The Cufiom of offering human Vi&ims prevalent among thefe People — Curious, feathered Cloaks and Caps—The Re [elution driven from Atooi Road—The Iff of Oneeheow vifted — Some of our People are detained on Shore — Ani¬ mals and eeds left at Oneeheow—Cufoms of the Natives—The Ships proceed to the northward . 128 CHAP. XII. Situation of the IJlands now difcovered by us—The Name of Sandzoich Iffands given to the whole Group—Atooi particularly defcribed—Its Soil — Climate-Vegetable Produce — Birds — Fifh — Do¬ rn epic Animals—The Perfons and Difpofitions of the Natives—Efimate of their number—Their Drefsand Ornaments — Houfes — Food-—Mode of Cookery — Diverfions — Mufical Injlruments — Manufactures — Tools—Their Acquaintance with Iron accounted for—Their Canoes defcribed — Agriculture—Account of one of their Chiefs^who contents. IX •vifited r a plain Clarke— Their Weapons—Affinity between their Manners and thoje oj the Society and Friend A- -/landers—Their language — Ad¬ vantageous Situation of the Sandwich IJleSm Page i6q CHAP. Xlli. Obfervations an the Longitude , Tides ,13 c.—Proceed on the Voyage— Weather remarkably mild as Jar a< W Latitude 44° North—Scarcity of Oceanic B V in the Northern Hemifphere—Beautiful S 1- Animals de/cribed, fuppofed by Mr.Ander- ffin t-' be a new Species of Onifeus—See the Coafi of ' T rfh America — D.efcription of the Country — jy f nlt.ies at Cfe Foul-weather—Stormy and temvfiuous Weather — Stri&ures on Martin d’An- guilar’s River—Fallacy of Juan deFuca’s pre¬ tended Strait—An Inlet discovered—The Ships anchor there and are vifited by a Number of the Natives —Their Behaviour . 194 BOOK IV. transactions with the natives of north- america; discov rieson that coast and. THE EASTERN EXTREMITY OF ASIA, AND return southward to the sandwich islands. C H A P. I. Arrival at the Sound—Moor in an excellent Har-. ■ b our —Vifited by great Numbers of the Natives ,, C? ZirJuh X C o N T E N T S. who are an inoffenfive Race of people—Variety of Articles brought to barter, particularly human Skulls—Mifchievous Thefts committed—The Ob- fervatories erected on a Rock — Alfo a Forge ereCied —Alarmed at feeing the Natives arm themfelves —Diflant Tribes not permitted by the Natives to traffic with us—Tempefuous Weather—A Survey of tht S mnd— Friendly Behaviour of the Natives of one of the villages—Treatment i eceivedfrom an inhofpitable Chief—Greeted with a Song by young Women—A fecond Vifit to one of the Villages — Grafs pur chafed —r Departure of the Ships. Page 209 C H A P. II. Directionsfor failing into the Sound—The adjacent Country described—Remarks on the Weather and Climate—Trees and other vegetable Productions —Racoons, Martins, Squirrels, and other Qua¬ drupeds—Variety of Skins brought for Sale —, Whales, and other Sea Animals—The Sea Otter iefcribed — Birds—Oceanic Birds — Fifi—Shell Fifh—Snakes and Lizards—In feCts — Stones — De- fcription of the Natives—Their Colour — Forma¬ tion—Drefs and Ornaments—Particular Dref fes, andhoirible wooden Mafi—Leathern Mantle for War—Their F)ifpoftion$Songs—Mufcal Jnjlrumcnts^Their Fondnefs for Metals, which they tOske every opportunity cf fealing m 229 CHAP. III. Number of inhabitants at Nootka Sound—Manner of building their Houfes—Defer ip tion of their jfnfde. Furniture, and UtenfxU^Their Filthinefs —Wooden CONTENTS, XI Wooden Images, called Klumma—Employments of the Men—Indolence of the young Men—Of the Women, and their Employments—Different Sorts of Foody and Manner of preparing it—Bows _ Arrows — Spears — Slings, and ether Weapons — Manufactures of Woollen, &c.—Mechanic Arts Defign and Execution in Carving and Painting — Canoes—Implements ufed in Hunting and Fight - ing—Fon Foe Is common among them—Manner of procuring that, and other Metals — Language* &c. Page 252 \ ' C H A P. IV. A Storm—The Reflation fprings a Leak—Vrogrefs of the Ships along the North American Co of — An Inlet named Crofs Sound — Beering's Bay Cape Suckling — Account of Kaye's IJland — Our Ships anchor near Cape Hinchingbroke—The Na¬ tives vifit us—Their Fondnefs for Beads and Iron —Their daring Attempt to carry off one of our Boats—They alfo attempt to plunder the Difcovery —Vrogrefs up the Sound—Mr. Gore and the Maf - ter fent to examine its Extent—Montague IJland— The Ships leave the Sound. 2.7 5 CHAP. V. Extent of Prince William's Sound—The Perfons of its Inhabitants deferibed — Their Drefs — Re- markable Cuftom of making an Incijion in the Under 4 ip—Their various Ornaments — Canoes — Weapons — Armour — Domeftic Uienfils — Their Skill in all manual Works — Their Food — A Specimen of their Language — Quadrupeds — Birds — Fifh — Trees — Conjectures whence they procure Beads and Iron . 300 C PI A P. CONTENT Si xii CHAP. VI Proceed along the Ccnft—Cape Ehzcle'h Cafe Si. Hermogenes—Baring’s k c; age and Chart xerfi defective — Point Banks- - Barren j.cs La^c Doug¬ las _ Cape Bede- - Mount St. /mguftin— Endeavour to find a Pajfage up an mlet-r-Bcth Ships tmtce a Progrefs up it-.-Convincing Proofs of its being a River _ A Branch of it called River I ui nagam The great River named Cook’s River—-The Ships return—Several vifits from the Natives---Lieute- ' nant King lands, difplays a Flag, and takes Pvfifief- fion of the Country-—His Reception by the Natives _ The Refiolution ftrikes upon a Bank—The high ' Tides accounted for . Page 3x7 CHAP. VII. V ^Departure from Cook’s River — Pafs St. Hermogenes _ Cape fVhitfunday — Whitfuntide Bay—Cape Greville—Cape Barnabas — Two-headed Point — Trinity Ifland—Beering’s Foggy If and—Foggy Cape _ Pinnacle Point—Dejcriftion of a curious Bird—Account of the Schmnagin Iflands—A Ruf¬ fian Letter brought on board theDifcovery—Carious Conjedlures concerning it—Rock Point Haliout Band — Halibut Head — A Volcano — EJcaps providentially — Arrival at Oonalafhka — Traffic with the Natives there—Another Ruffian letter brought on board—Defcriptisn of the Harbour of Samganoodha. 33 ? A V O A V O Y A G E TO THE PACIFIC OCEAN. BOOK III. OCCURRENCES AT OTAHEITE AND THE SOCIETY isles; AND PROSECUTION OF THE VOYAGE TO THE COAST OF NORTH-AMERICA. CHAP. IV. Gonfderations about failing—A Peace or Truce with Eimeo on difadvantageous Terms — Otod’s Delay in fending Reinforcements cenfured—A Solemnity at the Morai on the peace—Objervations thereon — Oloo’s Addrejs and Art—Omai receives a Pre- fent of a War Canoe—Embellijhes it with Variety of Streamers—Otods Prefent to his Majejly — Account of the Modes of Traffic, and the friendly Treatment we received at Gtaheite—The Expe¬ dition of feme Spaniards—Their Endeavours to inculcate a mean Opinion of the Englijk—Omai Jealous of another Traveller. O TOO, and his father, came on board, in the morning of the 22d, to know when Captain Cook propofed failing. For, hearing Vol. II.— n° 7. B that 2 A VOYAGE TO THE that there was a good harbour at Eimeo, he had informed them., that he fhould vifit that iiland on his paflage to Huaheine; and they propofed to accompany him, and that their fleet fhould fail at the fame time, to reinforce Towha. Being ready to take his departure, he fubmitted to them the appointment of the day; and the Wednefday following was determined upon; when he was to receive on board Otoo, his father, mother, and the whole family. Thefe points being agreed on, the Captain propofed immediately fetting out for Oparre, where all the fleet was to aflemble this day, and to be reviewed. As Captain Cook was getting into his boat, news arrived that a treaty had been concluded be¬ tween Towha and Maheine, and Towha’s fleet had returned to Attahooroo. From this unex- peded event, the war canoes, inflead of rendez- voufing at Oparre, were ordered to their refpedive diftrids. Captain Cook, however, followed Otoo to Oparre, accompanied by Mr. King and Omai. Soqn after their arrival, a meflenger arrived from Eimeo, and related the conditions of the peace, or rather truce, it being only for a limited time. The terms being difadvantageous to Qtaheite, Otoo was feverely cenfured, whofe delay, in fend¬ ing reinforcements, had obliged Towha to fubmit to a difgraceful accommodation. It was even currently reported, that Towha, refenting the treatment he had received, had declared, that immc- PACIFIC OCEAN'. immediately after Captain Cooks’s departure, he would join his forces to thofe of Tiaraboo, and attack Otoo. This called upon the Captain to declare, that he was determined to efpoufe the in- tereft of his friend : and that whoever prefumed to attack him, fhould experience the weight of his difpleafure, when he returned to their ifland. • This declaration, probably, had the defired efFed, and, if Towha did entertain any fuch hof- tile intention at firft, we heard no more of the report. Whappai, the father of Otoo, highly difapproved of the peace, and cenfured Towha for concluding it. This old man wilely confidered that Captain Cook’s going with them to Eimeo, might have been of lingular fervice to their caufe though he Ihould not interfere in the quarrel. He therefore concluded, that Otoo had aded prudently in waiting for the Captain ; though it prevented his giving that early alfiftanceto Towha which he expeded. While we were debating on this fubjed at Oparre, a mefienger arrived from Towha, defiring the attendance of Otoo the next day, at th & moral in Attahooroo, to return thanks, to the Gods for the peace he had concluded. Captain Cook was alked to attend; but being much out of order, ehofe rather to decline it. Defirous, however, of knowing what ceremony might be exhibited on fo memorable an occafion, he fent Mr. King and Omai to obferve the particulars, and returned to B 2 his 4 A VOYAGE TO TH6 his fhip, attended by Otoo’s mother, his three lifters, and feveral other woman. At firft, the Captain imagined that this numerous train came into his boat, in order to get a paffage to Matavai. But they allured him, they intended palling the night on board, for the purpofe of curing the diforder he complained of ; which was a rheu¬ matic pain, extending from the hip to the foot. He accepted the friendly offer, had a bed pre¬ pared for them upon the cabin floor, and fub- mitted himfelf to their diredlions- He was firfjl: defired to lie down amongft them; when all thofe who could get near him, began to fquceze him with both hands all over the body, but more par¬ ticularly on the parts complained of, till they made his bones crack, and his flelh became almoft a mummy. In fhort, after fuffering this fevere difcipline about a quarter of an hour, he was happy to get away from them. The operation, however, gave him immediate relief, and encou¬ raged him to a repetition of the fame difcipline, before he retired to bed; and it was fo effectual, that he found himfelf pretty eafy the whole night after. His female phyficians very obligingly re¬ peated their prefcriptionthe next morning, before they left him, and again in the evening, when they returned; after which, the cure being perfected, they took their leave of the Captain the following morning. This is called romee, among the na¬ tives, an operation fat exceeding that of the flelh- brufh. PACIFIC OCEAN. ' 5 brulh, or any external fridlion. It is univerfally pradtifed amongft thefe iflanders, and generally by women. If, at any time, a perfon appears languid and tired, and fits down by any of them, they pradtife the romee upon his legs; and it al¬ ways has an excellent effedt. On Thurfday the 25th of September, Otoo, Mr. King, andOmai, returned from Attahooroo; and Mr. King gave a narrative of what he had feen to the following effedt: “ At fun-fet, we embarked in a canoe, and left Oparre. About nine o’clock we landed at that extremity of Tet-* taha, which joins to Attahooroo. The meeting of Otoo and Towha, I expedted, would beinter- efting. Otoo and his attendants feated themfelves on the beach, near the canoe in which Towha fat. He was then afleep; but being awakened, and Otoo’s name being mentioned to him, a plantain- tree and dog were immediately laid at Otoo’s feet; and feveral of Towha’s people came and converfed with him. After I had been, for fome time, feated clofe to Otoo, Towha neither ftirrfng from his canoe, nor faying any thing to us, I repaired to him. He afked me if Too/e was dif- pleafed with him; I anfwered, No ; and that he was his taio ; and that I was ordered to go to At¬ tahooroo, to let him know it. Omai then en¬ tered into a long canverfation with this chief; but I could not gather any information from him. On my returning to Otoo, he defired that I fboulcf B 3 go 6 A VOYAGE 10 TH* go to eat, and then to fleep; in confequence of which Omai and I left him* On queftioning Omai on that head, he faid, To\yha was lame, and therefore could not ftir; but that Otoo and he would foon converfe together in private. This : was probably true; for thofewe left with Otoo-' came to us in a little time; and about ten mi¬ nutes after, Otoo himfelf arrived, when we all went to fleep in his canoe. The ava was the next morning in great plenty. One man drank to fuch excefs that he loft his fenfes, and appeared to be convulfed. He was held by two men, who bulled themfelves in pluck¬ ing off'his hair by the roots. I left this fpedtacle to fee a more affecting one. It was the meeting of Towha and his wife, and a young girl, who was faid to be his daughter. After the ceremony of cutting their heads, and difcharging plenty of blood and tears, they waffled, embraced the chief, and feemed perfectly unconcerned. But the young girl’s fufferings were not yet concluded. Terri- diri (Oberea’s fon) arrived ; / and Ihe, with great compofure, repeated thofe ceremonies to him which fhe had juft performed on meeting her fa¬ ther. Towha having brought a war-canoe from Eimco, I enquired if he had killed the people belonging to her; and was informed, that there was not a perfon in her when ihe was captured, . About ten or eleven o’clock we left Tettaha* and landed clofe to the moral of Attahooroo early PACIFIC OCEAlfr. ^ in the afternoon. Three canoes lay hauled upon rhe beach, oppofite morai, having three hogs in each. We expe&ed the folemnity would have been performed the fame afternoon ; but nothing was done, as neither Towha nor Potatou had joined us. A chief came from Eimeo with a fmall pig, and a plantain-tree, which he placed at Otoo’s feet. They converfed fome time together, and the Eimeo chief often repeating the words H arry, Warry, “ falfe,” Otoo was probably re¬ lating to him what he had heard, and the other contradided it. The next day, Tawha and Potatoua, with fevea or eight large canoes, arrived, and landed near the morai. Several plantain-trees were brought to Otoo, on behalf of different chiefs. Towha re¬ mained in his canoe. The ceremony was com¬ menced by the principal prieft, who brought out the maro , warpped up, in a bundle of a conic fhape. Thefe were placed at the head of what t fuppofed to be a grave. Then three priefts lat down, at the other end of the grave ; having with them a plantain-tree, a branch of fome other kind of tree, and the fhestth of the flower of the cocoa-nut-tree. The priefts feparately repeated fentences; and, at intervals, two, and fometimes all three, chanted a melancholy ditty, very little attended to by the natives. This kind of recitative continued near an hour. Then, after a Ihort prayer, the chief B 4 prieft 8 . A VOYAGE TO THE prieft uncovered the maro, and Otoo rofe up, and' warpped it about him, holding in his hand a bonnet, compofed of the red feathers of the tropic bird, mixed with other blackifh feathers. He ftooped oppofite the three priefts, who continued their prayers for aboift ten minutes; when a man riling fuddenly from the crowd, faid fomething ending with heiva ! -and the crowd echoed back to him three times Earee! The company then re¬ paired to the oppofite fide of a large pile of flones, where is the king’s marai; which is not much unlike a large grave. Here the fame ceremony was again performed, and with three cheers. The maro was now warpped up, and ornamented by the addition of afmall piece of red feathers. The people now proceeded to a large hut, near the moral, where they feated themfelves in folemn order. An oration was then made by a man of Tiaraboo, which ended in about three minutes. He was followed by a man of Attahooroo ; Po- tatou fpoke next, and with much more fluency and grace than any of them. Tooteo, Otoo’s orator, exhibited after jiim, and then a man from Eimeo. Some other fpeeches were made, but not attended to. Omai faid, that the fubftance of their fpeeches recommended friendfhip, and not fighting; but as many of the fpeakers ex- prefled themfelves with great warmth, there were, perhaps, fome recriminations and proteftations of their furture good intentions. In the midft of their PAC.'FIC OCEAN. 9 their harangues a man of Attahooroo rofe up, having a fling faftened to his waift, and a large ftone upon his ihoulder. After parading for ibout fifteen minutes in the open fpace, and chanting a few fhort fentences, he threw the ftone down. This ftone, together with a plantain-tree that lay at Otoo’s feet, were, at the conclufion of the fpeeches, carried to the moral; one of the priefts, and Otoo with him, faying fomething upoa the occafion. Returning to Oparre, the fea-breeze having fet in, we were obliged to land, and had a pleafant walk from Tettaha to Oparre. A tree, with'two large bundles of dried leaves fufpended upon it, pointed out the boundary of the two diftrids. We were accompained by the man who had per¬ formed the ceremony of the ftone and fling. With him Otoo’s father held a long converfation, and appeared extremely angry. He was enraged, as I underftood, at the part which Towha had taken in the Eimeo bufinefs. From what can be judged of this folemnity, as related by Mr. King, it had not been only a thankfgiving, as Omai told us, but rather a con¬ firmation of the treaty. The grave, mentioned by Mr. King, appears to be the very fpot where the celebration of the rites began, when the human facrifice was offered, at which Captain Cook was prefent, and before which the victim was laid. It is here alfo, that they firft inveft their 10 A VOYAGE TO THE their kings with the maro. Omai, who had feen the ceremony when OtoQ was made king, de- fcribed the whole folemnity, when we were here; which is nearly the fame as that now defcribed by Mr. King; though, perhaps, upon a very diffe¬ rent occafion. The plantain-tree is always the firft thing introduced in all their religious cere¬ monies, as well as in all their public and private debates; and, probably, on many other occafions. While Towha was Eimeo, he fent one or more meffengers to Otoo every day. Every meffenger, at all times, carried a young plantain-tree in his hand, which he laid at the feet of Otoo, before he mentioned his errand ; then feated himfelf be¬ fore him, and related the particulars of his mef- fage. When two men are in fuch high difpute that blows are expected to enfue, if one fhould lay a plantain-tree before the other, they both be¬ come cool, and proceed in the argument without further animofity. It is, indeed, the olive branch of thefe people ail occafions. As our friends knew that we were upon the point of failing, they all paid, us a yifit on the 26th, and brought chore hogs with them than we wanted; for, having no fait left to preferve any, we had fully fufficient for our prefent ufe. Captain Cook accompanied Otoo, the next day, to Oparre; and before he left it, took a furvey of the cattle and poultry, which he had configned to his friend’s care. Every thing was in a pro-' mifing PACIFIC OCEAN. II mifing way ; and Teemed properly attended to Two of the geefe, as well as two of the ducks, were fitting; but the pea-hen and turkey-hen had neither of them begun to lay. He took four goats from Otoo, two of which he intended to leave at Ulietea; and referve the other two for the ufe of any other ifiands he might touch at in his paffage to the north. The following circumftance concerning Otoo will fhew, that the people of this ifiand are capa-' ble of much addrefs and art, to accomplifh their purpofes. ’Amongft other things, which Captain Cook had, at different times, given to this chief, was a fpying-glafs. Having been two or three .days pofTelTed of it, he, perhaps grew tired of its novelty,or difcovered that it could not be of any ufe to him, he therefore carried it, privately, to Captain Clerke; telling him, that, as he had fliewn great friendfhip for him, he had got a pre- fentfor him, which, he fuppofed, would beagree- able. “ But, fays Otoo, Toote muft not be in¬ formed of this, becaufe he wanted it, and I re- fufed to let him have it;” accordingly, he put the glafs into Captain Gierke’s hands, affuring him, at the fame time that he came honeftly by it. Captain Clerke, atfirft, wifhed to be excufed from accepting it; but Otoo infilled upon it, that h pots, kettles, and the whole train of domeftic ap¬ paratus, fcarce one of his countrymen would even look at them. Omai, himfeif began to think that they would be of no fervice to him; that a baked hog was more favory eating than a boiled one; that a plantain leaf made as good a plate or difti as pewter; and that a cocoa-nut (hell was as convenient a goblet as one of our mugs. He therefore difpofed of molt of thefe articles of Englifh furniture among the crew of our {hips; and received from them, in return, hatchets, and other iron implements, which had a more intrinfic value in this part of the world. Among the nu¬ merous prefents bellowed upon him in England, fireworks had not been omitted; fome of which we exhibited in the evening of the 28th, before a great multitude of pfeople, who beheld them with a mixture of pleafure and apprehenfion. Thofe which remained were put in order, arid left with Omai, purfuant to their original dedi¬ cation. On Tburfday the 30th, early in the morning, the Bolabola-man whom we bad in confinement, found means to efcape out of the {hip, carrying with him the {hackle of the bilboo-bolt that had been put about his leg, which was taken from .him as foon as he arrived on {horc, by one of the chiefs, and given to Omai; who quickly came on board, to inform the Captain that his mortal enemy was again let loofe upon him. We- 46 A VOYAGE TO THE We found, upon enquiry, that the fentry placed fiver the prifoner, and even the whole watch in that part of the (hip where he was confined, having fallen alleep, he feized the favourable op¬ portunity, took the key of the irons Put of the drawer into which he had feen it put, and fet hirri- felf at liberty. This efcape convinced the Com¬ modore, that his people had been very rernifs in their night-duty ; which rendered it neceffary to chaftize thofe who were now in fault, and to ef- tablilh fome new regulations that might prevent fimilar negligence in future. He was pleafed at heaping, afterwards, that the fellow who had ef- caped, had gone over to Ulietea. Omai was no fooner fettled in his new habi¬ tation, than Captain Cook began to think of de¬ parting from Huaheine, and got every thing off from the fhore this evening, except a goat big 1 with kid, and a horfe and mare; which were left in the pofleffion of our friend, who was now to be finally feparated from us. We alfo gave him a boar and two lows of the Englilh breed ; and he had s;ot two or three fows of his own. The O horfe had covered the mare during our continu- ance at Otaheite; fo that the introduction of a breed of horfes into th'efe iflands, has probably fucceeded, by this valuable prefent. With regard'to Omai’s domdtic efiablifhmen'v be had procured at Otaheite, four or five ioutous , or people of the lower clafs; the two young New- Zealanders PACIFIC OCfcAN. 4 1 Zealanders remained with him; and his Bro¬ ther, and feveral others, joined him at Hua- heine; lo that his family now confided of ten or eleven perfons; if that canjuftly be denominat¬ ed a family, to which not one female belonged. The houfe which our people erected for him was twenty-four feet by eighteen; and about ten feet in height. It was compofed of boards, which were the fpoils of our military obfervations at Ei- meo; and, jn the conftru&ion of it, as few nails as poffible were ufed, left there might be an in¬ ducement, from the defire of iron, to pull it down. It was agreed upon, that, immediately after our departure, he fhould ereift a fpacious houfe after the mode of his own country; one end of which was to be brought over that which we had built, fo as entirely to enclofe it for greater fecurity. In this work, fome of the chiefs of the ifland promifed to contribute their affif- tance; and if the intended building fhould cover the ground which was marked out for it, few of the houfes in Huaheine will exceed it in mag¬ nitude. Omai’s European weapons confifted of a fowl¬ ing-piece, two pair of piftols, feveral fwords or cutlafles, a mufquet, bayonet,, and a cartouch- box. .After he had got on fhore whatever ap¬ pertained to him, he had the two Captains, and moft of the officers of both our fhips, two or three times, to dinner; on which occafions, his table A Voyage to tbs' table w^s plentifully fupplied with the bell provi¬ sions that the illand could afford. Before we fet fail, the Commodore caufed the following infcrip- tion to be cut upon the outfide of his houfe: Georgtgus Terhus, Rex, zNovembris, 1777* jy. f Refolutiori, Jac. Cook, Pr. aVeS \_Difcovery, Car. Clerks, Pr. On Sunday, the zd of November, at four bklock, we took the advantage of an eafter- ?y breeze, and failed oiit of Owharre harbour. Mott of our friends continued on board till our veffels were under fail; when Captain Cook, to gratify their curiosity, ordered five guns to be fired. Then they all left us, except Omai, who remained till we were out at fea. We had come to fail by a hawfer fattened to the fhore, which, irt catting the (hip, parted, being cut by the rocks^ and its outer end was left behind : it therefore became neceffary to difpatch a boat to bring it on board. In this boat, our friend Omai went a fhore, after having taken a very affectionate far- wel of all the officers. He fuftained this part¬ ing with a manly fortitude, till he came to Cap¬ tain Cook, when, notwithftanding all his efforts, he was unable to fupprefs his tears; and he wept all the time in going a(hore, as Mr. King, who accompanied him in the boat,, after wards inform* fed the Captain. Though PACIFIC OCEAN* 49 Though we had now, to our great fatisfaction, brought him fafe back to the very fpot from which he was taken, it is probable, that we left him in a fituation lefs delirable than that which he was in before his connexion with us: not that, having tafted the comforts of civilized life, he muft become more wretched from being •obliged to relinquifh all thoughts of continuing them, but merely becaufe the advantages he re¬ ceived from us, have placed him in a more ha¬ zardous fituation, with refpect to his perfonal fafety. From being greatly carefled in England, he had loft fight of his primary condition, and did not confider in what manner his acquifitions, either of knowledge or of wealth, would be esti¬ mated by his countrymen, at his return; which were the only things whereby he could recom¬ mend himfelf to them now, more than before, and on which he could lay the foundation either of his future happinefs or greatnefs. He ap¬ peared to have, in fome meafure, forgotten their cuftoms in this refpect, and even to have mif- taken their genius; otherwife he muft have been convinced of the extreme difficulty there would be in getting himfelf admitted as a man of rank, where there is fcarce a fingle inftance of a per¬ son's being raifed from an inferior ftation even by the greateft merit. Rank feems to be the foundation of all power and diftin&ion here, and is fo pertinacioufiy adhered to, that, unlefs a per- Voi.IL— N°y E fon 5 ° A VOYAGE TO THE Ion has lome degree of it, he will be contemn¬ ed and hated, if he pretends to exercife any au¬ thority. This was really the cafe, in a great fneafure, with Omai; though his countrymen were rather cautious of exprefling their fenti- ments while we continued among them. If he had made a proper ufe of the prefents he brought with him from Great-Britain, this, with the knowledge he had gained by travelling, might have enabled him to form the molt ad¬ vantageous connexions.. But he exhibited too many proofs of a weak inattention to this ob¬ vious means of promoting his intereft. He had formed fchemes of a higher nature; it may indeed be faid, meaner; for revenge, rather than .a defire of greatnefs, appeared to influence him from the beginning. His father was, cer¬ tainly, a man of confiderable property in Ulie- tea, when that ifland' was fubdued by the inha¬ bitants of Bolabola; and, with many others, fled for refuge to Huaheine, where he died, and left Omai, with feveral other children', who' thus became entirely dependent. In this fituation. Captain Furneaux took him up, and brought him to England. Whether he expedited, from the treatment he there met with, that any affiftance would be afforded him againft the enemies of his father and his country, or whether he had the vanity to fuppofe, that his own fuperiority of knowledge, and perfonal courage, would be fuf- ficient PACIFIC OCEAN. 5 * ficient to difpoffefs the conquerors 6f Ulietea, is uncertain; but, from the very commencement of the voyage, this was his conftant topic. He would not pay any attention to our remonftrances on fuch an inconfiderate determination, but was difpleafed, whenever more reafonable counfels were propofed for his benefit. Nay, he was fo ri- diculouily attached to his favourite (cherne, that he affe&ed to believe the Bolabolans would cer¬ tainly quit the conquered ifland, as foon as they fhould have intelligence of hisarrival in Otaheite. As we proceeded, however, on our voyage, he began to perceive his error; and, by the lime of our arrival at the Friendly Illands, had fuch ap- prehenfions of his reception in his own country, that he was inclined to have remained at Ton- gataboo, under the protection of his friend Fee- nou. At thefe iflands, he fquandered away a confiderable part of his European treafure; and he was equally imprudent at Otaheite, till Cap¬ tain Cook put a ftop to his profufion. ' He alfo formed fuch improper connections there, that Qtoo, though at firft difpofed to countenance him, afterwards openly expreffed his difappro- bation of his conduCt. He might, however, have recovered the favour of that chief, and have fet¬ tled, to great advantage, in Otaheite, as he had formerly lived fome years there, and was now honoured with the notice of Towha, whofe va¬ luable prefent of a large double canoe has been E 2 already A VOVAGfi TO THE S* already mentioned. But he continued undeter¬ mined to the laft, and probably would not have adopted the plan of fettlement in Huaheine, if Captain Cook had not fo pofitively refafed to employ force in reftoring him to the poffeffion of his father’s property. Omai’s greateft danger, in his prefent fituation, will arife from the very imprudent declarations of his antipathy to the Bolabolans. For thefe people, from motives of jealoufy, will undoubt¬ edly endeavour to render him obnoxious to the inhabitants of Huaheine; as they are now at peace with that ifland, and may eafily accomplilh their defigns. This circumftance, he might, with great eafe, have avoided. For they were not? only free from any averfion to him, but the chief, whom we mentioned before, as a prieft or god, even offered to reinftate him in his father’s lands. But he peremptorily refufed this; and, to the. very laft, continued fixed in his refolution to em¬ brace the firft opportunity of fatisfying his re¬ venge in battle. To this he is perhaps not a lit¬ tle ftimulated by the coat of mail he brought from England; clothed in which, and furnifhed with fire-arms, he icily imagines that he fhall be invincible. The defeats of Omai’s charader were eonfi- derably over-balanced by his great .good-nature, and docile, tradable difpofition. CaptainCooky during the whole time he was with him, feldorn had Pacific ocean. 53 had reafon to be ferioufiy difpleafed with his ge¬ neral condud. His grateful heart ever retained the higheft fenfe of the favours conferred on him in England; nor will he ever be unmindful of thofe who honoured him, while in that kingdom, with their friendlhip and protedion. Though he had a tolerable lhare of underftanding, he {hewed little application and perfeverance in ex¬ erting it, fo that he had but a general and im¬ peded knowledge of things. He was not a man of any great degree of obfervation. There were many elegant amufements, as well as ufeful arts, among the Friendly Iflanders, which he might have conveyed to his native country, where they, in all probability, would have been readily adopt¬ ed. But we never found that he endeavoured to make himfelf matter of any one of them. Such indifference is, indeed, the charaderiftic foible of his countrymen. Though they have been vifited by Europeans, at times, for thefe ten years paft, we could not difcern the flighted veftige of any attempt to profit by this inter- .courfe; nor have they hitherto imitated us in any refped. It mutt not, therefore, be expeded, that Omai will be able to introduce among thenj many of our arts and cuftoms, or much improve thofe to which they have been familiarized by long habit. We truft, however, that he will ex¬ ert his endeavours to bring to perfedion the va¬ rious frpits and vegetables that were planted by E 3 us; 54 A VOYAGE TO THE us; which will be no fmall acquifition. But the principal advantage thefe illands are likely to yeceive from the travels of Omai, pull probably arife from the animals that have been left upon them; which, perhaps, they never would have obtained, if he had not come pver to England. When thefe multiply, Otaheite, and the Society Ifles, will equal any place in the known world, with refpedt to provifions. Omai’s return, and the fubftantial proofs he carried back with him of Britifh liberality, en¬ couraged many to offer themfelves as volunteers to accompany us to Pretane. Captain Cook took every opportunity of expreffing his fixed deter¬ mination to rejeft all applications of that kind. Omai, who was ambitious of remaining the only great traveller among them, being afraid left the Captain might be prevailed upon to place others in a fituation of rivalling him, frequently re¬ minded him of the declaration of the Earl of Sandwich, that no others of his countrymen were to come to England. Had there been the fmalleft probability of any fhip being again lent to New-Zealand, the Com- ; modore would have brought the two youths of that country home with him, both of them be¬ ing very defirous of continuing with us. Tawei- harooa, the eldeft, was endowed with ftrong na¬ tural fenfe, was extremely well-difpofed, and ca¬ pable of receiving any inftruction. He appear- PACIFIC OCEAX. 55 ed to be fenlible of the inferiority of his own country to ^.thefe iflands, and refigned himfelf, though perhaps not without reluctance, to end his days at Huaheine in Cafe and plenty. But the other, named Kokoa, was foftrongly attached to us, that it became neceflary to make ufe of force in carrying him alhore. He was a fmart witty boy; and, on that account, great notice had been taken of him on board. CHAP. VII. Arrival at Ulietea—One of the Marines deferts but is brought back by Captain Cook—Intelli¬ gencefrom Qmai—InJlruElions to Captaih Clerke — Two others defert—The two Captains feek them in vain—The Chief's Son , Daughter, and her Hufband, confined on board the Difcovery — Un- fuccefsful Confpiracy of the Natives againft the Captains—The two Deferters are recovered—The Chiefs Family fet at Liberty—The Ships fail — Remarks on the Ulieteans-r—Prefent and former State of their ljland. A S foon as the boat, in which Omai was con¬ veyed alhore, had returned, with tie re¬ mainder of the hawfer, to the (hip, we -sifted E 4 56 A VOYAGE TO THE her in, and flood over for IJlietea without delay. The next won. ing, which was the 3d of No? vember, we made fail round the font hem end - of that ifland, for the harbour of Ohaonw no. We met with variable light airs and calms alter¬ nately, fo that, at twelve o’clock, we were ftill tat the diftance of a league from the mouth of the harbour; and while we were thus detained, Oreo, the chief of the ifland, with his fon and fon-in- law, came off to pay us a vifit. All the boats were now hoifted out, and fent a-head to tow, being affifted by a flight foutherly breeze, - This foon failing,and being fucceeded by an eafterly one, which blew right out of the harbour, we were obliged to anchor at its entrance, about two o’clock, and to warp in, which employed us till night. We were no fooner within the harbour than our ftups were (unrounded with canoes, filled with the natives, who brought a fupply of fruit and hogs, which they exchanged for our commodities. The following day, the Refolutioii was moored clofe to the northern Ihore, at the head of the harbour; and the Difcovery along-fide the fouthern fhore. Captain Cook, in the mean time, returned Oreo’s vifit, and prefented that chief with a red-feathered cap from Tongataboo, a flrirt, a linen gown, and a few other things of lefs value. Oreo, and fome of his friends, then accompanied hinaon board to dinner. On Thurf- PACIFIC OCEAN. 57 day the 6th, the obfervatories were fet up, and the neceffary inftruments carried on fhore. The two fucceeding days, Captain Cook, Mr. King, and Mr. Bayly, obferved the fun’s azimuths, both on fhore and on board, with all the compafles, in order to difcover the variation. Nothing re¬ markable happened, till very early in the morn¬ ing of the 13th, when a marine, named John Harrifon, who was fentinel at the obfervatory, deferted, taking with him his mufquet and ac¬ coutrements. As foon as we gained intelligence which way he had gone, a party was detached in fearch of him; but they returned towards the evening, without fuccefs. The next day. Cap*, tain Cook applied to the chief concerning this affair, who promifed to fend a party of the illan- ders after the fugitive, and gave us hopes that he fliould be brought back in the courfe of that day. This, however, did not happen; and we had reafon to imagine, that the chief had taken no fteps towards finding him, We had, at this time, a confiderable number of the natives about our lhips, and feveral thefts were committed ; the confequencps of which be¬ ing apprehended by them, very few of them came to vifit us the next morning. Oreo him- felf caught the alarm, and fled with his whole family. Captain Cook confidered this as a gqod opportunity to infill upon their delivering up the deferter; and having heard that he was then at 58 A VOYAGE JO THE a place called Hamoa, fituated on the other fide of the ifland he repaired thither with two armed boats, attended by a native. In their way, they met with the chief, who alfo embarked with them. The Captain, with a few of. his men, landing about a mile and a half from the fpot, marched up to it, with great expedition, left the fight of the boats fhould give the alarm, and allow the offender fufficient time to make his efcape to the mountains. This precaution proved unneceffary; for the natives of that part of the ifland having obtained information of the Captain’s approach, were prepared to deliver up the fugitive. He was found, with his mufquet lying_before him, feared betwixt two women, who, the inftant that the Captain entered the houfe, rofe up to plead in his vindication. As fuch proceedings deferved to be difeouraged, the«Captain, with a ftern look, bid them be gone ; upon which they burft into tears, and retired. Paha, the chief of that dif- triCt, now came with a fucking-pig, and a plan¬ tain- tree, which he was on the point of prefenting to C a ptain Cook, as a peace-offering; who re¬ jected it, and having ordered the chief to quit his prefence, embarked with Harrifon in one of the boats, and returned to the fhips. After this harmony was fpeedily reftored. The delinquent made no other excufe for his conduct, than that the natives had enticed him away ; which perhaps was in a great meaftire true, as Paha, and the PACIFIC OCEAK. 59 the two women above-mentioned, had been at the fhip the day before his defertion. As he had remained at his ftation till within a few minutes of the time in which he was to have been re¬ lieved by another, the punilliment he received •was not very fevere. About a fortnight after we had arrived in Ulie- tea, Omai difpatched two of his people in a ca¬ noe, with intelligence, that he continued un- difturbed by the inhabitants of Huaheine, and that every thing fucceeded with him, except that his goat had died in kidding. This informa¬ tion was accompanied with a requeft that Cap¬ tain Cook would fend him another goat, and alfo two axes. Pleafed with this additional oppor¬ tunity of ferving his friend, the Captain lent back the meffengers to Huaheine, on the 18th, with the axes, and a male and female kid. On Wednefday the 19th, the Commodore de¬ livered to Captain Clerke his inftru&ions how to proceed, in cafe of feparation, afterquitting thefe iflands, The purport of thefe inftruftions was as follows: that, whereas the paflage from the Society Ifles to the northern coaft of America was of confiderable length, and as a part of it muft be performed in the depth of winter, when boifterous weather muft be expected, which might perhaps occafion a feparation. Captain Clerke fhould take all poffible care to prevent this; but that if the two (hips fhould chance to be fepa- rated. Co A VOYAGE TO THE rated, he, after fearching for Captain Cook, and not finding him in five days, was to proceed to¬ wards the coaft of New Albion, and endeavour to fall in with it in the latititude of 45'% wher$ he was to cruize for him ten days; and not fee¬ ing him in that time, vra:> to put into the firffe convenient harbour, in or to the north of that latitude, to obtain refrelhments, and take in wood and water: that, during his continuance in port, he was conftantly to look out for Captain Cook ; and if the latter did not join him before the ill of April following, he was to proceed northward to the latitude of 56°, where, at fuch a diftance from the coaft as did not exceed fifteen leagues, he was to cruize for him till the icth of May; and not finding him, was to proceed on a north¬ erly courfe, and attempt to difcoyer a paifage into, the Atlantic Ocean, either through Hud¬ son's or Baffin’s Bays, as directed by the inftruc- tions of the Board of Admiralty: that, if he Should fail in thofe endeavours, he was to re¬ pair to the harbour of St, Peter and St. Paul in Kamtfchatka, and pafs the winter there : but that if he could not procure refrelhments at that port, he was at liberty to go where he Should think proper, leaving with the Governor, before his departure, an account of his deftination, to be delivered to,Captain Cook on his arrival; and that, in the Spring of the year following (1779) he was to return to the port above-mentioned : ' that Pacific ocean. (n that if he then received no further orders from Captain Cook, fo as to juftify his purfuing any other meafures than thofe which were pointed out in the inftru&ions of the Lords of the Admiralty, his future proceedings were to be direft.ed by , them; and that, in cafe of being prevented, by illnefs or any other caufe, from carrying thefe, and the inftru&ions of their Lordfhips, into ex¬ ecution, he was to leave them with the officer who was next in command. While we lay moored to the ftiore, we fcrub- bed both fides of the bottoms of our veflels, and alfo fixed fome plates of tin under the binds. Thefe plates Captain Cook received from the ingenious Mr. Pelham, Secretary to the Com- miffioners for victualling the royal navy, for the purpofe of trying whether tin would fucceed as well as copper, in Iheathing the bottoms of lhips. On Monday the 24th, in the morning, the Commodore was informed that two of the Dift covery’s people, one of whom was a midlhipman, were miffing. Not long after, we learned from the natives, that they had embarked in a canoe the preceding night, and Were now at the other end of the ifland. As the Midlhipman had ex- preffed a defire of continuing at one of thefe iflands, it was extremely probable that he and his companion had gone off with that intent. Captain Clerke therefore, with two armed boats, and a detatchment of marines, fet out in quell of 2 the. 6 & A VOYAGE TO THE the fugitives, but returned in the evening with¬ out fuccefs. From the condudt of the iflanders, he was of opinion, that they intended to con¬ ceal the deferters; and, with this view, had de¬ ceived him with falfe information, dire&ing him to feek for them where they could not be found. He was not miftaken ; for the next morning, intelligence was brought, that the two runaways > were in the Ifle of Otaha. Thefe not being the only perfons in the {hips who were defirous of remaining at thefe favourite iflands, it was ne- ceffary, in order to give an effedtual difcourage- ment to any further defertion, to recover them at all events. Captain Cook therefore deter¬ mined to go in purfuit of them himfelf, having obferved that the natives feldom attempted to amufe him with falfe information. He accord¬ ingly fet out with two armed boats, accompa¬ nied by Oreo himfelf. They proceeded, without flopping at any place, till they came to the eaftern fide of Otaha, where they put afhore ; and the chief difpatched a man before them, with orders to feize the fugitives, and keep them till the Captain and his attendants fhould arrive with the boats. But when they had got to the place where they expected to find them, they were informed, that they had quitted this ifland, and gone to Bolabola the preceding day. The Captain, not chufing to follow them thither, returned to the Clips, with a full determination to have recourfe PACIFIC OCEAN, 63 to a meafure, which, he had reafon to believe,, would compel the natives to reftore them. On the 26th, foon after break of day, Oreo, with his fon, daughter, and fon-in-law, having come on board the Refolution, Captain Cook re- folved to detain the three laft; till our deferters fhould be delivered up. With this view, Cap¬ tain Clerke invited them on board his Ihip; and, as foon as they arrived in his cabin, a fentinel was placed at the door, and the window fecured,. This proceeding greatly furprized them; and Captain Clerke having explained the reafon of it, they burft into tears, and begged he would not kill them. He affured them he would not, and that the moment his people were brought back, they Ihould be releafed. This, however, did not remove their uneafinefs, and they bewailed their Tate in filent forrow. The chief being with Cap¬ tain Cook when he received intelligence of this affair, immediately mentioned it to him, ima¬ gining that this ftep had been taken without his knowledge and approbation. The Captain in- ftantly undeceived him; and then he began to entertain apprehenfions with refpedt to his own fituation,and his countenance indicated the great- eft perturbation of mind. But the Captain foon quieted his fears, by telling him, that he was at liberty to quit the fhip whenever he chofe, and to take luch fteps towards the recovery of our two men, as he Ihould judge belt calculated for that 54 A- VOYAGE TO THE that purpofe; and that, if he fhould meet with fuccefs, his friends on board the Difcovery fhould he releafed from their confinement: if riot, that they fhould certainly be carried away with us. The Captain added, that the chiefs conduit, as well as that of many of his countrymen, in not only affifting thefe two men to make their efcape, but in endeavouring, at this very time, to pre¬ vail upon others to follow them, would juflify any meafure that would ferve to put a flop to fuch proceedings. This explanation of the mo¬ tives upon which the Commodore aited, feemed to remove, in a great degree, that general con¬ firmation into which Oreo, and his people who were prefent, were at firft thrown. But, though -relieved from all apprehenfions with regard to their own fafety, they were ftill under the deepeft concern for the prifoners in the Difcovery. N um¬ bers of them went under the ftern of that fhip in canoes, and lamented their captivity with long and loud exclamations. The name of Poe- dooa (for that was the appellation of Oreo’s daughter) refounded from every quarter ; and the women not only made a moft difmal howling, but ftruck their bofoms, and cut their heads with fhark’s teeth, which occafioned a confiderable effufion of blood. The chief now difpatched a canoe to Bola- bola, with a meflage to Opoony, king of that ifland, informing him of what had happened, and PACIFIC OCEAN* and requefting him to feize the two deferters* and fend them b^ck. The me(fenger,who was the father of Oreo’s fon-in-law Pootoe, came to receive Capt. Cook’s commands before his departure; who ftri&ly enjoined him not to return without the fugitives* and to tell Opoony, from him, that if they had left the ifle of Bolabola, he muft fend canoes in purfuit of them. The impatient natives, not thinking proper to truft to the return of our people for the releafe of the prifoners, were induced to meditate an at¬ tempt, which, if it had not been prevented, might have involved them in (till greater diftrefs* Between five and fix o’clock, Captain Cook, who was then on fhore, abreaft of the (hip, obferved that all their canoes, in and about the harbour, began to move off. He enquired, in vain, for the caufe of this; till our people, calling to us from the Difcovery, informed us, that fome of the iflanders had feized Captain Clerke and Mr. Gore, as they were walking at a fmall diftance from the (hips. The Commodore,, (truck with the boldnefs of this fcheme of retaliation, which feemed to counteract him in his own way, in- ftantly commanded his people to arm; and, in a few minutes, a ftrong party, under the conduQ: of Mr. King, was fent to the refeue of our two gentlemen. Two armed boats, and a party under Mr. Williamfon, were difpatched at the fame time, to intercept the flying canoes in their re- Vo l . II.—n° 8 . F treat A VOYAGE TO TH£ 66 treat to the fhore. Thefe detachments had fcarce- ly gone out of fight, when intelligence arrived that we had, been mifinformed; upon which they were immediately called in. It manifeftly appeared, however, from feveral corroborating particulars, that the natives had aftually formed the defign of feizing Captain Clerke; and they even made, no fecret in fpeak- ing of it the following day. But the principal part of their plan of operations was to have laid hold of the perfon of Captain Cook. He was ac- cuftomed to bathe every evening in the freffi water; on which occalions he frequently went alone, and always unarmed. ExpeHing him to go this evening, as ufual, they had refolved upon feizing him, and Captain Clerke likewife, if he had accompanied him. But Captain Cook, after confining the chief s family, had taken care to avoid putting himfelf in their power; and had cautioned Captain Clerke and the officers, not to go to any confiderable diftance' from the ffiips. Oreo, in the cotirfe of the afternoon, alked our Commodore, three or four times, if he would not go to the bathing place; till at length finding that he could not be prevailed upon, he retired, with his people, notwithftanding all our entreaties to the contrary. Having no fufpicion, at this time, of their defign. Captain Cook imagined, that a Hidden panic had feized diem, which would probably be foon over. Being di(appointed with refpeft PACIFIC OCEAN* 6f retped: to him, they fixed upon thofe who were more in their power. It was a fortunate circum- Hance that they did not fucceed in their defign, and that no mifchief was done on the occafion; no mufquets being fired, except two or three, to flop the canoes; to which firing, perhaps, Cap¬ tain Clerke and Mr. Gore owed their fafety # ; For, at that moment, a party of the iflanders, armed with clubs, were marching towards them, but difperfed on hearing the report of the muf- tjuets. This confpiracy was firft difcoVered by a girl, who had been brought from Huaheine by one of our officers. Happening to overhear fome of the IIHeteans fay, that they would feize Meffrs. Clerke &nd Gore, fhe immediately ran to acquaint the firft of our people that fhe met with. Thofe who had been intrufted with the execution of the de- fign, threatened to put her to death, as foon as we fhould quit Ulietea, for difappointing them. Being aware of this, we contrived that the girl’s friends fhould come, a day or two afterwards, and take her out of the fhip, to convey her to a place where fhe might remain concealed, till fhe fhould find an opportunity of returning to Huaheine. * It is not improbable that they were alfo indebted for their fafety to Captain Clerke’s walking with a piftol in his hand, which he once fired. We mention this circumdance on the authority of Captain K : ng. ** On A VOYAGE tO THE On Thurfdaythe 27th. we took down our ob- fervatories, and carried on board whatever we had afhore; we then unmoored the fhips, and moved a little way down the harbour, where we anchored again. Towards the afternoon the'na¬ tives, fhaking off their apprehenfions, gathered round, and on board, our fhips, as ufual; and the unpleafing tranfa&ibns of the preceding day feemed to be almoft forgotten by both parties. In the fucceeding night the wind blew in hard fqualls, which were accompanied with heavy fhowers of rain. In one of thefe fqualls, the cable by which the Refolution Was riding at an¬ chor, parted; but, as we had another anchor ready to let go, the fhip was quickly brought up again. No account of our two fugitives having been received from Bolabola, Oreo now fet out for that ifland, defiring Captain Cook to follow him,* the next day, with the fhips. This was the Cap¬ tain’s intentions; but the wind prevented our getting out to fea. The fame wind, however, which detained us in the harbour,* brought back Oreo, with the two deferters, from Bolabola* They had reached O tali a on the night of their defertion; but being unable, for the want of wind, to get to any of the iflands lying to the eallward, as they at firft intended, they had pro¬ ceeded to Bolabola, and thence to a little ifland called Toobaee, wliq^p they were apprehended by Pootoe’s PACIFIC OCEAN. 69 Ppotoe’s father. As foon as they were brought on board, the three prifoners in the Difcovery were reftored to their liberty. Such was the ter¬ mination of an affair, which had given the Com¬ modore much trouble and vexation. The wind continuing conftantly between the north and weft, kept us in the harbour till Sunday the 7th of December; when, at eight o’clock in the morning, we weighed and made fail, with a light bree/e at the north-eaft point. During the preceding week, we had been vifited by perfons from all quarters of the ifland, who afforded u,s a plentiful fupply of hogs and green plantains, fo that the time we remained wind-bound in the harbour was not totally loft; for green plantains ai^e an excellent fuccedaneum for bread, and will keep good for two or three weeks. Befides being furnifhed with thefe provifions, we alfo took in plenty of wood and water. The Ulieteans appeared to be, in general, fmaller and more black than the natives of the adjacent iflands, and feemed alfo lefs orderly, which may, perhaps, be owing to their having become fubjedt to the inhabitants of Bolabola. Oreo, their chief, is only a kind of deputy of the Bolabolan monarch; and the conqueft feems to have diminilhed the number of fubordinate .chiefs refident among them: they are, therefore, lefs immediately under the eye of thofe whofe in- tereft it is to enforce a proper obedience. Though F 3 Ulietea A VOYAGE TO TH? JO TJlielea is now reduced to this ftate of humiliating dependence, it was formerly, as we were in¬ formed, the mod eminent of this group of iflands, and was probably the firft feat of government j for we were told, that the prefent royal family of Otaheite derives its defcent from that which ruled here before -.be late revolution. The dethroned king of Ulietca, whofe name is Ooroo, ' elides at Huaheine, furnilhing, in his own perfon, an in- ftancc not only of the iivliability of power, but, alfo of the refpedt paid by thefe iflanders to par¬ ticular families of princely rank ; for they allow Ooroo to retain all the enfigns which are appro¬ priated by them to royalty, notwithftanding his having been deprived of his dominions. We ob- ferved a fimilar in/lance of this during our flay at Ulietea, where one of our occafional vilitants was Captain Cook’s old friend Oree, late chief of Huaheine. He ftill maintained his confe- qucnce, and was conftantly attended by a numer¬ ous retinue. CHAP. p»ACI*IC OCEAN. 7i CHAP- VIII. Proceed to Bolabola, accompanied by Oreo and others *—Application to Opoony for Monfieur de Bou¬ gainville’s Anchor—Reafons for pur chafing it — Delicacy of Opoony , in not accepting the Prefent —Quit the Society Ifands—Defcription of Bola¬ bola , and its Harbour—Curious Hifiory of the Reduction of the two Ifands^ Otaha and Ulietea i —Bravery of the Men of Bolabola—Account of the Animals left at Bolabola and Ulietea—Procefs cf falting Pork—Curfory Obfervations reJpeBing Otahdle, and the Society Ifands . H AV IMG taken our leave of Ulietea, we fleered for Bolabola. Our principal reafon for vifiting this ifland was, to procure one of the anchors which had l>:en loft at Otaheite by Moji- fieur de Bougainville. This, we were informed, had been afterwards found by the natives there, and fent by them to Opoony, the chief of Bola¬ bola. It was not on account of our being in want of anchors that we were anxious to get poffeffion of it; but, having parted with all our hatchets, and other iron tools and implements in purchafing refrefhments, : we were now obliged to create a frefh affortment of trading articles, by fabricating them from the fpare iron we could find on board, and even the greateft part of that had been already F 4 expended* A VOYAGE TO THE J2 expended. Captain Cook, therefore J fuppofed Monf. de Bougainville’s anchor would, in a great meafure, f fupply our want of this ufeful material, and he did'not entertain a doubt that Opoony might be induced to part with it. Oreo, accompanied by fix or eight others from Ulietea, attended us to Bolabola; and, indeed, mod of the natives, except the chief, would gladly have taken a paffage with us to England. At fun- fet, being off the fouth point of Bolabola, we ftiortened fail, and pafied the night making fiiort boards. On the 8th, at day break, we made fail for the harbour, on the weft fide of the ifiand. The wind being fcant, it was nine o'clock before we were near enough to fend away a boat to found the entrance. The mafter, when he returned with the boat, reported, that the entrance of the harbour was rocky at the bottom, but that there was good ground within; and the depth of water twenty- five and twenty-feven fathoms; and that there was room to turn the (hips in. Upon this infor¬ mation, we attempted to work the Chips in ; but, the wind and tide being againft us, we made tw r o or three trips, and found it could not be accom- plifhed till die tide fhould turn in our favour. Whereupon Captain Cook gave up the defign of carrying the Chips into the harbour, and embark¬ ing in one of the boats, attended by Oreo and his companions, was rowed in for the ifiand. As PACIFIC OCEAN. 73 As foon as they were got afhore, the Commo¬ dore was introduced to Opoony, furrounded by a vatl concourfe of people. The necefl'ary formality of compliments being over, he requefted the chief to give him the anchor; and, to induce him to comply with the requeft, produced the prefent he intended for him. It confided of a linen night¬ gown, fome gauze handkerchiefs, a fhirt, a look- ing~g!afs, fome beads and toys, and fix axes, Opoony, however, refufed to accept the prefent till ib • Commodore had received the anchor; and ordered three perfons to go and deliver it to him; with diredrons to receive from him what he thought proper in return. With thefe meflengers we let out in our boats for a neighbouring ifland, where the anchor had been depofited; but it was neither fo large, nor fo perfe&, as we expedled. By the mark that was upon it, we found that it had originally weighed feven hundred pounds; but it now wanted the two palms, the ring, and part of the^fhank. The reafon of Opoony’s re- fufing Captain Cook’s prefent was now apparent; he, doubtlefs, fuppofed that the anchor^ in its prefent (late, was fo much inferior to it in value, that, when he faw it, he would be dilpleafed. The Commodore, notwithftanding, took the an¬ chor as he foundit, and fent the whole of the pre¬ fent, which he, at firft, intended. This nego¬ tiation being completed,the Commodore returned on board, hoifted in the boats, and made fail t® the A VOYAGE TO THE 74 the north. But, while we were hoifting in the boats, we were vifited by fome of the natives* who came off, in three or four canoes, to fee the flips. They brought with them one pig, and a few cocoa-nuts. Had we remained there till the next day, we fhould probably have been fupplied with plenty of provifions; and the natives would, doubtlefs, be difappointedwhen they found we were gone: but, having already a good ftock of hogs and fruit on board, and not many articles left to purchafe more, we had no inducement to defer the profe- cution of our voyage. Oteavanooa, the harbour of BoJabola, fituated on the weft fide of the ifland, is very capacious; and, though we did not enter it. Captain Cook had the fatisfa&ion of being informed, by perfons employed by him for that purpofe, that it was a very proper p ] ac;e for the reception of fhips. Towards the middle of this iftand is a lofty double-peaked mountain, which appeared to be barren on the eaft fide, but, on the weft fide, has fome trees or bufties. The lower grounds, towards the fea, like the other iflands of this ocean, are covered with cocoa-palms, and bread¬ fruit trees. There are many little iflots that fur- round it, which add to the number of its inha¬ bitants, and to the amount of its vegetable pro¬ ductions. Coafider- PACIFIC OCEAN. 75 Confidering the fmall extent of Bolabola, being only eight leagues in circumference, it is remark-, able that its people fhould have been able to con¬ quer Ulietea and Otaha; the former of which ifiands is, alone, more than dmible its fize. In each of Captain Cook’s three voyages, the war which produced this great revolution, was fre¬ quently mentioned; and, as it may amufe the reader, we fhall give the hiftory of it as related bv themfelves. ✓ Ulietea dnd Otaha had long been friends; or, as the natives emphatically exprefs it, they were confidered as two brothers, whofe views and in- terefts were the fame. The ifland of Huaheine was alfo admitted as their friend, but not in fo eminent a degree. Like a traitor, Otaha leagued with Bolabola, jointly to attack Ulietea; whofe people required the affiftance of their friends of Huaheine, againft thefe united powers. The in¬ habitants of Bolabola were encouraged by a pro-" phetefs, who predicted their fuccefs; and, that they might rely upon her prediction, fhe defired a man might be lent to a particular part of the fea, where, from a great depth, would arife a ftone. He was accordingly fent in a canoe to the place fpecified, and was going inftantly to dive after the ftone, when, behold, it fpontaneoufly ftarted up to the furface, and came immediately into his hand! All the people were aftonifhed at the fight; the ftone was deemed facred, and de- pofited A VOYAGE TO TITE pofited in the houfe of the Eatooa; and is ftill preferved, as a proof that this prophetefs had great influence with the divinity. Elevated with the hopes of viftory, the canoes of Bolabola at¬ tacked thofe of Ulietea and Huaheine; the en¬ counter was of long duration, and, notwithftand- ingthemiracle,the Bolabola fleet would have been vanquifhed, had not that of Otaha arrived at the critical moment. The fortune of the day was now turned, and their enemies were totally de¬ feated. Two days after, the men of Bolabola invaded Huaheine, of which they made them- felves mafters; it being weakly defended, as mod of its warriors were then abfent* Many of its fugitives, however, having got to Otaheite, there related their lamentable tale. This fo affe&ed their own countrymen, and thofe of Ulietea whom they found in that ifland, that they ob¬ tained their affiftance. They were furnifhed with only ten fighting canoes, and with that incon- fiderable force, effected a landing at Huaheine, when dark at night; and, taking the Bolabola men by furprize, killed many of them, and dif- perfed the reft. Thus they again poffeffed them- felves of their own ifland, which now remains in¬ dependent, and is governed by its own chiefs. When the united fleets of Ulietea and Huaheine were defeated, the men of Bolabola were applied to by their allies of Otaha to be allowmd an equal feare of the couquefts. This being refufed, the alliance PACIFIC OCEAN. 77 alliance broke; and/ during the war, Otaha was conquered, as well as Ulietea, both of which re¬ main fubjeft to Bolabola; the chiefs by whom they are governed,beingonIy deputies to Opoony, the king of that ifland. Such was their hiftory of the war. It Las al¬ ready been obferved, that thefe people are ex¬ tremely deficient in lecollefiling the exaft dates of paft events. And, refpeCting this war, though it happened but a few years ago, we could only £uefs at the time of its commencement and dura¬ tion, the natives not being able to fati sfy our en¬ quiries with any precifion. The final conqueft of Ulietea, which terminated the war, had been atchieved before Captain Cook was there in 1769; but it was very apparent that peace had not been long reftored, as marks of recent hoftilities having been committed were then to be feen. By at¬ tending to the age of Teereetareea, the prefent, chief of Huaheine, feme additional collateral proof may be gathered. He did not appear to be above ten or twelve years of age, and his fa¬ ther, we were informed, had beeen killed in one of the engagements. The Bolabola men, fince the conqueft of Uli¬ etea and Giaha, are conftdered as invincible; and their fame is fo far extended, that, even at Ota- heite, if not dreaded, they are refpefted for their valour. It is aflerted, that they never fly from an enemy, and that they always are victorious againft A VOYAGE TO THE iagainft an equal number of the other iflaoders. Their neighbours, too, afcribe much tothefupe* riority of their god, who, they believed, detained us by contrary winds at Ulietea. The eftimation in which the Bolabola men are held at Otaheite, may be gathered from Mohfieur de Bougainville’s anchor having been fenttotbeir fovereign. The intention of tranfporting the Spanifh bull to their ifland, muft be afcribed to the fame caufe. And they already pofieffed a third European ctiriofity, a male anima! brought to Otaheite by the Spaniards. This animal had been fo imperfeQly delcribed by the natives, that We had been much puzzled to conjeHure what it Could be. Some good, however, generally arifes out of evil. When Captain Clerke’s deferters were brought back from Bolabola, they told us the animal had been {hewn to them, and that it was a ram. If our men had not defected, it is probable we fhould never have known this. In confequence of this intelligence, Captain Cook, when he landed to meet Opoony, carried an ewe on fhore, of the Cape of Good Hope breed; by which he has probably laid the foundation for a breed of fneep at Bolabola. He alfo left with Oreo, at Ulietea, two goats, and an Englifh boar and Cow: fo that the race of hogs will be con-, fiderably improved, in a few years, at Otaheite, and all the neighbouring iflands; and they will, perhaps, jrAClFXC OCEAN. 79 perhaps, be {locked with many valuable Euro¬ pean animals. When this is really the cafe, thefe iflands will be unrivalled in abundance, and variety of refrefh- ments for the fupply of navigators. Even in their prefent Hate, they are hardly to be excelled. When the inhabitants are not diflurbed by inter¬ line broils, which has been the cafe for feveral years paft, their produ&ions are numerous and plentiful. If we had pofieffed a greater aflortment of goods, and a proper quantityof fait, we might have failed as much pork, as would have been fufficient to lad both Ihips almoft a year. But we quite ex- haufted our trading commodities at the Friendly Iflands, Otaheite, and its neighbourhood. Our axes, in particular, were nearly gone, with which, alone, hogs were, in general, to be purchafed. The fait that remained on board, was not more than was requifite for curing fifteen puncheons of meat. The following procefs of curing pork has been adopted by Captain Cook in his feveral voyages. The hogs were killed in the evening; when cleaned, they were cut up, and the bone taken out. The meat was falted while it was hot, and laid fo as to permit the juices to drain from it, till {he next morning: it was then falted again, put into a calk, and covered with pickle. It re- TEaiped, in this fituation, four or five days; when it A V0YA6E TO TttE go it was taken out* and carefully examined; and* if any of it appCafed to be in the lead tainted, 'which was fometimes the cafe, it Was feparated from the reft, which was repacked, headed up, and filled with good pickle. It was again exa¬ mined in about eight or ten days time, but thefe appeared to be no neceffity for it, as it was gene¬ rally found to be all perfectly cured. Bay and white fait, mixed together, anfwe'rs the beft, though either of them will do alone. Great care was taken that none of the large blood-veflels re¬ mained in the meat; and not too much fhould |>e packed together at the firft falting, left thofe pieces which are in the middle fhould heat, and hinder the fait from penetrating them. In tro¬ pical climates, meat ought not to be faked ini rainy fultry weather. Europeans having, of late, fo frequently vi- fited thefe iflanders, they may, on that account, have been induced tp breed a larger flock of hogs; knowing that, whenever we .come, they may be certain of receiving what they efteem a valuable confideration for them. They daily ex¬ pert the Spainards at Otaheite, and, in two or three years time, they will doubtlefs expeft the Englifh there, as well 'as the other iflands" It is ufllcfs to a fibre them that you will not return, for they fuppofe you cannot avoid it; though none of them either know, or enquire, the reafon of your coming. It would, perhaps, have been & better PACIFIC OCEAK. 8t better for thefe people, to have been ignorant of ourfuperiority, than, after once knowing it, to be abandoned to their original incapacity. They cannot, indeed, be reftored to their former happy mediocrity, if the intercourfe between us fhould be difeontinued. It is, in a manner, incumbent on the Euro¬ peans to pay them occafional vifits (once in three or four years), to fupply them with thofe articles, which we, by introducing, have given them a predilection for. The want of fetch fupplies may be feverely felt, when it is too late to return to their old imperfed: contrivances, which they now defpife and’ difcard. When the iron tools, with which we have fumifhed them, are worn out, their own will be almoft forgotten. A ftone hatchet is now as great a curiofity among 1 them, as an iron one was feven or eight years ago; and a chiflel made of bone, or ftone, is no where to be feen. Spike nails have been fubftituted in the room of the latter articles; and they are weak enough to imagine, that their ftore of them is in- exhauftible, for they were no longer fought after; Knives happened, at this time, to be in high eftimation at Ulietea; and axes and hatchets bore unrivalled fway at all the iflands. Refpefting ar¬ ticles merely ornamental, thefe iflanders are as changeable as the molt polifhed European na¬ tions; for, an article ^hich may be prized by them to-day, may, perhaps, be rejected to-mor- . Vol. II.—n°3 . G row. 82 A VOYAGE TO T&E row* as a fafhioi^ or whim may alter. But our iron implements are fo evidently ufeful, that they muft continue to be high in their eftimation. They would, indeed, be miferable, if they ftiould ceale to receive fupplies of what appears necef- fary to their comfortable exiftence; as they are deftitute of the materials, and ignorant of the art of fabricating them. In our former relations, too much has already been publifiied, refpeiting fome of the modes of life, which rendered Otaheite fopieafing an abode to many of our people; and, if we could add any finifhing ftrokes to that pifture, we fhould be un¬ willing to exhibit a view of fuch licentious man¬ ners as cannot fail to be difgufting. Having now concluded our account refpeefting thefe illands, which ftand fo confpicuous in the lift of our difeoveries, we refer the reader to the following chapter, for which we are indebted to Mr. Anderfon. CHAP. PACIFIC OCEAN. 83 CHAP. IX. StriBurcs on former Accounts of Otaheite — Thepre- vailing Winds—Beauty and Fertility of the Coun~ try. — Land hut little cultivated — Produce — Na¬ tural Curiofities—Defcription of the Natives— Delicacy of the women—Their general Charac¬ ter—Dijpofed to amorous Gratifications—Their Language—Ignorance of Surgery and Phyfic — Animal Food chiefly eaten by the fuperior Clafs —■ Pernicious EjfeBs of Ava—Account of thair dif¬ ferent Meals—ConneBions between the two Sexes — Circumcifion — Religion—Notions concerning Immortality — Superjlitions—Strange Traditions about the Creation—The King almofi deified — Clajfes of the People — Punifhments — Peculari - ties of the adjacent Iflands—Limits of their Na¬ vigation . A FTER feme prefatory remarks, on the accounts of the fucceffive voyages of Cap¬ tain Wallis, Monfieur de Bougainville, and Cap¬ tain Cook, Mr. Anderfon begins to relate fuch particulars concerning Otaheite, and its neigh¬ bouring iflands, as he was able to procure from Omai, or by converting with the other natives. For the greateft pa$ of the year, the wind blows from between eaft-fouth-eaft, and eaft- north-ealh It fometimes blows with confiderable G 2 force, 84 A VOYAGE TO THE orce, and is called by the natives Maarate , When {he wind blows ftrong, the weather is ufii- ally cloudy, with feme rain; but, whfen it is more moderate, it is dear, fettled, and ferene: if the wind fliould veer to fouth-eaft, or foutfefouth- eaft, it blows more gently, and is called Maoai. In.December and January, when the fun is nearly vertical, both the winds and weather ar every va¬ riable ; but it often blows from weft-riorth-weft, or north-weft. This wind is called- Toeroii ; and is ufually attended- by cloudy weather, and fome- times rain. It feldom continues more than five or fi,x days without interruption; and is the only wind that will permit the inhabitants of the iflands to leeward to vifit this in their canoes. If the wind is ftill more northerly, it has the different appellation of Era-potaia. The wind from fouth- weft, and weft-fouth-weft, is more frequent than the former, and is ufually gentle, with occafi- onal calms and breezes, yet it fometimes blows in very brifk fqualls.- The weather is then ge¬ nerally cloudy and rainy, with a clofe hot air; often accompanied with much thunder and light¬ ning. It is called by the natives Eioa. Though the natives have no very accurate knowledge of thofe changes they pretend ter have drawn feme conclufions from their effeBs^ When the fea has a hq|jtaw found, and dafhes mildly on the fhore,, they fay it portends good weather; but, if it founds harfhly, and .the waves rapidly PACIFIC OCEAN» $£ rapidly fucceed each other, the reverfe is to be expe&ed. The fouth-eaft part of Otaheite, affords one of the molt luxuriant.profpe&s in the univerfe. The hills are high, fteep, and craggy; but they are co¬ vered to the very fummits with trees and fhrubs; the rocks feeming to poffefs the property of pro¬ ducing their verdant clothing. The lower land and vallies teem with various productions, that grow with exuberant vigour, and convey to the mind of the beholders, an idea, that no country upon earth can vie with this in the ftrength and beauty of vegetation; nature has been equally li¬ beral in diftributing rivulets, which glide through every valley, dividing, as they approach the fea, into feveral branches, fertilizing the lands through which they run. The habitations of the natives are irregularly fcattered upon the flat land; and many of them, along the fhore, afforded us a delightful feene from our fhips; efpecially as the fea, within the reef, is perfectly ftill, and affords, at all times, a fafe navigation for the inhabitants, who are often feen palling and repaffing in their canoes. On beholding thefe delightful feenes; I have often regretted my inability to tranfmit fuch a deferip^ tiop of them, as would convey an impreffion fomewhat fimilar to what I felt, who have been $ > - fortunate enough to have been on the fpot. The natural fertility of the country, comhined with G 3 tfye S6 A VOYAGE TO THE the mildnefs and ferenity of the climate, has ren¬ dered the natives fo carelefs in their cultivation, that the fmalleft traces of it cannot, in many places, be difcovered, though overflowing with the richeft productions. The cloth plant, and the ava, or intoxicating pepper, are almoft the Only things to which they fhew any attention. The bread-fruit tree is never planted, but fprings from the roots of the old ones, which fpread themfelves near the furface of the ground. Hence we may obferve, that the inhabitants of / Otaheite, inftead of being under a neceflity of planting their bread, will rather be obliged to prevent its progrefs; which is, perhaps, fome- times done, to afFord room for a different fort of trees, which may enable them to make fome va¬ riety in their food. The principal of thefe trees are the cocoa-nut and plantain ; the firft of which requires no at¬ tention, after it appears a foot or two above the ground; bdt the plaintain requires fome care in the cultivation; for, about three months after it fhoots up, it begins to bear fruit; during which time it puts forth young fhoots, which fupply a fucceffion of fruit; the old flocks being cut down as the fruit is taken off. The produ£ts of the ifland are more remark¬ able for their great abundance than for their variety; and curiofites here are not very nume¬ rous. Among thefe may be reckoned a large lake PACIFIC OCEAN* 8/ lake of frefli water* on the top of one of the higheft mountains* at the diftance of aim oft two days journey. It is remarkable for its depth* and abounds with eels of an enormous fize. This being efteemed the greateft natural curiolity of the country* travellers* who come from other iflands* are ufually afked, among the firft things, at their rettirn, whether they have feenit. There is alfo a fmall pond of water on this ifland* which has a yellow fediment at the bottom. It has the appearance of being very good* but has an of- lenfive tafte, and often proves fatal to thofe who drink a quantity of it; and thofe who bathe in it* break out in blotches. On our arrival here* we were ftruck with the remarkable contrail between the inhabitants of Tongataboo* and thofe of Otaheite; the former being of a robuft make* and dark colour* and the latter having a di/tinguilhed delicacy and whitenefs. That difference* however* did not immediately preponderate in favour of the Ota- heiteans; and* when it did* it was* perhaps* oo- calioned more by our becoming accultomed to them; the mark,s* which had recommended the others* beginning now to be forgotten. The women however* of Otaheite* po fiefs all thofe delicate chareQenflics* which in many coun¬ tries diftinguilh them from the other fex. The men wear their beards 'long here* and their hair confiderably longer than at Tongataboo, which G 4 gave 88 A voyage to the gave them a very different appearance. The Otaheiteans are timid and fickle. They are not fo mufcularand robuft as the Friendly Iflanders, arifrng, perhaps, from their being accuftomed to todefs a&ion; the foperior fertility of their conn- try enabling them to lead a more indolent life. THeyhave a piumpnefs and fmoothnefs of the lkin; which, though more confonant with our ideas of beauty, is far from being an advantage; and is attended with a kind of languor in all their mo¬ tions. This is vifible in their boxing and wreft- ling, which difplay only the feeble efforts of chil¬ dren, if compared to the vigour and activity with which fuch exercifes are performed at the Friendly Iflands. Asperfonal endowments are in higheflimation. among them, they have various methods of im¬ proving them, according to their ideas of beauty. Among the Erreoes, or unmarried men, efpeci- ally thole of fonre confequence, it is cuftomary to undergo a kind of phyfical operation, to ren¬ der them fair; which is done by continuing a month or two in the houfe, wearing a great quan¬ tity of cloaths the whole time, and eating no¬ thing but bread-fruit, which they fay is remark¬ ably efficacious in whitening the (kin. They alfo intimate, that their corpulence and colour, at other times, depend upon their food; being obliged, as the feafons vary, toufe different food at different times. Nine- PACIFIC OCEAN* §9 Nine-tenths, at lead, of their common diet, confift of vegetable food; and the mahee, or fermented bread fruit, which is an article in al- moft every meal, prevents coftivenefs, and has a Angular effied: in producing a coolnefs about them, which was not perceivable in us who fed on animal food. To this temperate courfe of life, may, perhaps, be attributed their having fo few difeafes among them. Indeed, they men¬ tion only five or fix chronic or national di('or¬ ders; among which are the dropfy, and the fcfai> mentioned as frequent at Tongataboo. This was, however, before the arrival of the Europe¬ ans; for we have added a difeafe to their cata¬ logue, which abundantly fupplies the place of all the others, and is become almoft univerfal; and for whjch they feem to have no effe&ual remedy- The priefts, indeed, adminifter a medly of fim- ples, but they acknowledge it never cures them. They admit, however, that in forne few cafes, nature alone has exterminated the poifon of this loathfome difeafe, and produced a perfect reco¬ very. They fay alfo, that thofe infefted with it, communicate it to others, by handling them, or feeding on the fame utenfils. They fliew an opennefs, and generofity of dif- pofition, upon all oceafions. Omai, indeed, has frequently fa id, that they exercife cruelty in pu- nifhing their enemies, and torment them with great deliberation; fometimes tearing out .final! 2 pieces 9° A VOYAGE TO THE pieces of flefh from different parts of the body; at other times, plucking out the eyes, then cut¬ ting off the nofe; and laftly, completing the bu- finefs, by opening the belly. But this is only on very extraordinary occafions. If chearfulnefs re- fults from confcious innocence, one would ima¬ gine their whole lives had been unfullied with a crime* This, however, may be rather imputed to their feelings, winch, though lively., are ne¬ ver permanent. Under any misfortune, after the critical moment is paft, they never labour un¬ der the appearance of anxiety. Care never pro¬ duces a wrinkle on their brow; even the approach of death does not deprive them of their viva¬ city. I have feen them, when on the brink of the grave by difeafe, and when preparing to at¬ tack the enemy; but, in neither of thefe cafes, have I ever pbferved their countenances over¬ clouded with melancholy or dread* Difpofed, as they naturally are, to diredt their aims to what will afford them eaf'e or pleafure, all their amufements tend to excite their amo¬ rous paffions; and their fongs, with which they are greatly delighted, are directed to the fame purpofe. A conftant fucceffion of fenfual enjoy- ynentsmuft,however, cloy; and they occafionally Varied them to more refined fubje&s; they chant¬ ed their triumphs in war, and their amufements in peace; their travels and adventures; and the peculiar advantages of tl^pir own iflancl. This PACIFIC OCEAN. 9 1 This flhews that they are immoderately fond of mufic, and though they did not relifh our com¬ plicated compofitions, they were much delighted with the more melodious founds, when produced fingly, as they, in feme degree, refembled the fimplicity of their own. They equally experi¬ ence the foothing efftfts produced, by particular kinds of motion; which, in many cafes, will allay any perturbation of mind, as fuccefsfully as mufe. Of this, the following may ferve as a remarkable inftance. Walking, one day, about Matavi Point, I faw a man in a fmall canoe, paddling with fuch expedition, and looking fo eagerly about him, as to command my whole at¬ tention. At firft, I fuppofed he had been pilfer¬ ing from one of the {hips, and was purfued; but he prefently repeated his amufement. He pro¬ ceeded from the fhore to the place where the fweil begins ; and, attentively watching its firft motion, paddled iwiftly before it, till he perceiv¬ ed it overtook him, and had acquired fufficient ftrength to force his canoe before it, without palling underneath. He then ceafed paddling, and was carried along as rapidly as the wave, till he was landed upon the beach; when he ftarted from, his canoe, emptied it, and went in purfuit of another fwcll. He Teemed to experience the moft fupreme delight, while he was thus fwifthr and fmoothly driven by the fea. His mind was fo wholly occupied in this bufinefs, that, though crouds A VOYAGE TO THE 9 Z crouds of his countrymen were collected to ob* ierve our tents and fhips, as being objedls that were both rare and curious to them, he did not notice them rn the leafh Two or three of the natives drew near, while I was obferving him* and feemed to partake of his felicity; calling out to inform him when there was an appearance of a favourable fwelh This exercife, which Tun- derftand is very frequent among them, is called ekorooe. Though the language of Otaheite feerns radi¬ cally die fame as that of New Zealand and the. Frumdly Iflands, it has not that guttural prohuft- ciadon, and is pruned of feme of the eon Tenants* with which thofe dialefts abound; which has. rendered it, like the manners of the inhabitants, foft and Toothing. It abounds with beautiful and figurative expreffions, and is To copious, that they have above twenty different names for the bread-fruit; as many for the tdro root, and half that number for the cocoa-nut. They halve one expreflion coi'refponding ex¬ actly with the phrafeology of the Scriptures, viz. fC Yearning of the bowels. 55 They ufc it upon every occafion, when affefted by the paffions; conflantly referring pain from grief, defire, and other affections, to the bowels, as the feat of it; where, they imagine, ail operations of the mind are alfo performed. In PACIFIC OCEAN. 93 In the a*ts, they are extremely deficient; yet they pretend to perform cures in furgery, which our knowledge in that branch has not enabled us to imitate. Simple fra&ures are bound up with, fplints, but if a part of the bone be loft, they infert, between the frafihired ends, a piece of wopd made hollow, to fupply its place. The rapaoo, or furgeon, infpe&s the wound in about five or fix days, when he finds the wood is partly covered by the growing flelh; and, in as many more days, vifits the patient a fecond time, when it is generally completely covfered; and, when he has. acquired fome ftrength, he bathes in the water, and is reftored. Wounds, it is well known, will heal over leaden bullets, and there are fome inftances of? their healing over other extraneous bodies. But- what makes me entertain fome doubt of the truth, of this relation, is, that in thofe cafes which fell under my obfervation, they were far from being fo dexterous. I was fhewn the ftump of an.arm, which had been taken off", that had not the ap¬ pearance of a fkilful operation, after making a, due allowance for their defective inftruments. And I faw a man going about with a diflocated fhoulder, fome months after he had received the accident, from their being unacquainted with a method of reducing it: thought it is one of the fimpleft operations of our furgery. Frac- §4 A VOYAGE TO THfi FraClures of the fpine, they know, are mortal; and they alfo know, from experience, in what particular parts of the body wounds prove fatal. Their phyfical knowledge feems yet more limit¬ ed, becaufe, perhaps, their difeafes are fewer than their accidents. In fome cafes, however, the priefts adminilter the juices of herbs; and wo¬ men, afflifted with after-pains, or other com¬ plaints after child-bearing, ufe a remedy which feems Unnecelfary in a hot country. Having heat¬ ed fome Hones, they lay a thick cloth over them, covered with a quantity of a ftpall plant of the muftard kind; and over them is fpread another cloth. On this they feat themfelves, and fweat profufely to obtain a cure. This method has been praclifed by the men, though ineffectually, for the cure of the venereal lues. It is remark¬ able, that they have no emetic medicines here. A famine frequently happens in this ifland, notwithftanding its extreme fertility, in which many people are faid to perifh. Whether this ca¬ lamity be owing to the fcanty produce of fome feafons, to over-population, or to wars, I have not been fufficiently informed; but it has taught them to exercife the ftriaeft ceconomy, even in the times of plenty. In a fcarcity of provifion, when their yams and bread-fruit are confumed, they have recourfe to various roots which grow uncultivated upon the mountains. Th tpatarra, which is found in great plenty. PACIFIC CCE AH. 95 plenty, is firft ufed: it fomewhat refembles a large potatoe, or yam; and, when in its growing ftate, is good, but becomes hard and ftringy when old; They next eat two other roots, one of which appears'like taro ; and then the ehoee. Of this there are two forts; one of which poffeffes dele¬ terious qualities, which requires it to be fliced; and macerated in water, a night before it is bak¬ ed for eating. It refembles, in this refpedl, the caffava root of the Weft-Indies; but, in the man¬ ner they drefs it, has a tery infipid tafte. This and the fatarra are creeping plants, the latter having ternate leaves. ■ A very fmall portion of animal food is enjoy¬ ed by the lower clafs of people ; and if, at any time, they obtain any, it is either filh, fea-eggs, or ether marine productions; for pork hardly ever falls to their {hare. Only the Eree de hoi, is able to afford pork every day; and the infe¬ rior chiefs, according to their riches, perhaps once a week, a fortnight, or a month. Some¬ times, indeed, they are not allowed that; for, when the ifland is irnpoveriflied by war, or any other means, a prohibition is granted againft the killing of hogs, which fometimes continues in force for feveral months, and even for a year of two. In fuch an interval, the hogs have multi¬ plied fo fall, that there have been inftances of their changing their domeftic ftate, and becom¬ ing wild. When 9 5 A VOYAGE TO THE When this prohibition is taken off, the chiefs affemble at the king’s habitation, each bringing with him a prefent of hogs. After this, the king orders fome of them to be killed, of which they all partake, and each returns to his own home, with full permiffion to kill as many as he pleafes for his own ufe. On our arrival here, fucb a prohibition was actually in force, at lead in thofe diftridts under the immediate direction of Otoo. And, when we quitted Oheitepeha, fearing we fhould not have gone to Matavai, he fent a met*, fenger to allure us, that, as foon as the fhips ar¬ rived there, it Ihould be taken off. We found it fo, but our confumption of them was fo great, that there is very little doubt but it would be laid on again, immediately after we had failed. A prohibition is fometimes extended to fowls. The ava is chiefly ufed among the better fort of people, but this beverage is differently per- pared, from that which we faw in the Friendly Iflands. Here they pour a fmall quantity of water upon the root, and often bake, roaft, or bruile the flalks, without chewing it before it is infufed. They alfo bruife the leaves of the plant here, and pour water upon them, as upon the root. It is not drank in large companies, in that lociable way which is pradtifed among the people at Tongataboo; but it has more perni¬ cious elfefls here, owing, perhap, to the man¬ ner PACIFIC OCEAN* , 97 ner of its preparation; as we faw frequent in- ftances of its intoxicating powers. Many of us, who had vifited thefe iflands be¬ fore, were furprized to find feveral of the natives, who were remarkable for their fize and corpu¬ lency when we faw them laft, now almoft re¬ duced to Jkeletons; and the caufe of this altera¬ tion was univerfally attributed to the ufe of the ava. Their fkins were dry, rough, and covered with fcales; which, they fay, occafionally fall off, and their Ikin becomes, in fome degree, renewed. As an excufe for fo deftru&ive a practice, they alledge, it is to prevent their growing too cor¬ pulent ; but it enervates them exceedingly, and probably fhortens the duration of their lives. Their meals at Otaheite are very frequent. The firft is about two o’clock in the morning, after which they go to fleep; the next is at eight; they dine at eleven, and again, as Omai exprefled it, at two, and at five; and they go to fupper at eight. They have adopted fome very whimfical cuftoms in this article in domeftic life: the women are not only obliged to eat by themfelves, but are even excluded from partaking of mod of the better forts of food. Turtle, or fifh of the tunny kind, they dare not touch, though it is high in efteem; fome particular forts of the bed, plantains are alfo forbidden them; and even thofe of the firft rank are feldotn permitted to eat pork. The children of both fexes alfo eat Vol. II——n°8 . H apart; A VOYAGE TO THE 98 apart; and the women ufually ferve up their own provifions. ' In this, and many other cuftoms, relative to their eating, there is fomething exceedingly myf- terious. 'On our inquiring into the reafons of it, we were told, it was neceffary that it fhould be fo; and that was the only anfvver we could receive when we interrogated them upon that fubjeX. They are notfo obfcure and myfterious in their Other cuftoms refpeXing the females, efpecially with regard to their connexions with the men. When a young man and woman, from mutual choice, agree to cohabit, the man makes a pre¬ lent to the father of the girl of the common ne- ceffaries of life, as hogs, cloth, or canoes; and if he fuppofes he has not received a valuable confederation for his daughter, he compels her to leave her former friend, and to cohabit with a perfon who may be more liberal. The man, indeed, is always at full liberty to make a new choice; or, fhould his confort become a mother, he may deftroy the child; and afterwards either leave the woman, or continue his connexion 'with her. But if he adopts the child, and per¬ mits it to live, the man and woman are then con- fidered as in the married ftate; and after that they feldom feparate. A man may however, without being cenfured, join a more youthful partner PACIFIC OCEAN. 99 partner to his firft wife, and live with both of them. The cuftom of changing their conjugal con¬ nections is very general, and is fo common an occurrence, that they mention it with indiffer¬ ence. The erreoes, or thofe of the better fort, who poffefs the means of purchafing a fucceffion of freflb connections, are generally roamingabout; and, having no particular attachment, feldom adopt the plan of a fettled cohabitation. And this licentious plan'of life is fo agreeable to their difpofition, that the molt beautiful of both fexes exhauft their youthful days in practices which would difgrace the molt favage tribes. Thefe enormities are peculiarly Ihocking in a country whofe general character has, in other refpeCts, evident traces of the prevalence of humane feelings. ‘When an erreoe woman brings forth a child, it is fuffocated by applying a cloth to its mouth and nofe, which has been previoufly dipped in water. As the women, in fuch a life, muft contribute greatly to its happinefs, it is furprifing that they Ihould not only fuffer the molt humiliating re- ftrainis, with regard to food, but Ihould be of¬ ten treated with a degree of brutality, which one would fuppofed a man muft be incapable of to¬ wards an objeCt for whom he had the leaft affec¬ tion or efteern. It is, however, extremely com¬ mon to fee the men beat them molt unmerci- H % fully 1 IOO A VOYAGE TO THE fully; and unlefs this behaviour proceeds from jealoufy, which both fexes fometim.es pretend to be infeded with, it will be difficult to affign a reafon for it. This may the more readily be ad¬ mitted as a motive, as I have known many in- ftances where intereft has been rejeded for per- fonal beauty; though, even in thefe cafes, they are not fufceptible of thofe delicate fentiments that refult from mutual affedion. Platonic love is hardly known in Otaheite. From a notion of cleanlinefs, the cutting of the forelkin is a pradice adopted among them* and they bellow a reproachful epithet upon thofe who negled that operation. When five or fix lads in a neighbourhood are pretty well grown up, it is made known to a tahoua by the fa¬ ther of one of them. The tahoua , attended by a fervant, conduds the lads to the top of the hills; and after feating one of them in a proper manner, places a piece of wood beneath the forelkin, at the fame time amufing him by defiring him to look afide at fomething which fie pretends to fee; the young man’s attention being.thus engaged, he immediately cuts through the lkin with a lhark’s tooth, and feparates the divided parts; then, after putting on a bandage, he performs the fame operation on the other lads who attend him. Five days after they have been thus difciplin- ed, they bathe, the bandages are removed, and the PACIFIC OCEAN. IOI the matter is cleanfed away. When five days more are expired, they bathe again, and are recovered; but, as a thicknefs of the prepuce remains, occafioned by the cutting, they again afcend the mountains with the tahoua and ier- vant, where a fire is prepared, and fome ftones heated; between two of which the prepuce is placed by the tahoua, and is gently fqueezed, in order to remove the thicknefs. This done, they return home, adorned with odoriferous flowers; and the tahoua is rewarded by the fathers of the lads, according to their feveral abilities, with a prefent of hogs and cloth; and if their poverty will not permit them to make a proper acknow¬ ledgment, their relations on this occafion are expected to be liberal. Their religious fyftem abounds in Angularities, and few of the common people have a compe¬ tent knowledge of it, that being principally con¬ fined to their priefts, which indeed are nume¬ rous. They pay no particular refpedt to one god, as poffeffing pre-eminence; but believe in a plurality of divinities, who have each a pleni¬ tude of power. As different parts of the ifland, and the other neighbouring iflands, have different gods, the refpedtive inhabitants imagine they have chofen the moft eminent, or one tvho is at leaft fuffi- ciently powerful to protect them, and to fupply their neceflities. If he fhould not give them H 3 fatisfa&ion 162 A VOYAGE TO THE fatisfaCtion, they think it no impiety to change. An inftance of this kind has k--ely happened in Tiaraboo, where two divinities have been dis¬ carded, and Oraa, god of Bolabola, has been adopted m their room, They have probably been induced to make tln» new choice, bevaufe his people have been victorious in war ; and hav¬ ing, fince their new election, been fuc<~-f r gain it the inhabitants of Otzkeits-:. e- ly imputed to Graa> who literally lights their battles. In ferving their gods, their afliduitv is re¬ markably confpicuous. The whattas 01 offeiing- places of the morais are, in general, loaded with fruits and animals; and almoft every houfe has a portion of it fet apart for a fimilar purpofe, Many of them are fo rigidly fcrupulous in their reli¬ gious matters, that they will not even begin a meal, till they have laid afide a morfel for the eatooa ; and we have feen their fuperftitious zeal carried to a moft pernicious height in their hu¬ man facrifices, which are, I fear, too frequent. They probably have recourfe to them to avert misfortunes. Their prayers, which they always chant likeihefongsin their feftiveentertainments, are alfo very frequent. As in other cafes, fo in religiqn, the women are obliged to fhew their inferiority. When they pafs the morais they muft partly uncover them- felves, or take an exteniive circuit to avoid them. Though PACIFIC OCEAN. I03 Though they do not entertain an opinionj that their god muff be continually conferring bene¬ fits, without fometimes forfaking them ; they are lefs concerned at this, than at the attempts of fome inaufpicious being to injure them. K Etee, they fay, is an evil fpirit, who delights in mif- chief; to whom they make offerings, as well as to their divinity. But all the mifchiefs they apprehend from invifible beings, are merely temporal. As to the foul, they believe it to be both im-' mortal and ; immaterial; that during the pangs of death, it keeps fluttering about the lips; and that it afcends, and is eaten by the deity : that it continues in this ftate for fome time; after which it takes its paffage to a certain place, deftined to receive the fouls of men, and has exiftence in eternal night; or rather in a kind of dawn, or twilight. They expedt no permanent punilhment hereaf¬ ter for crimes committed upon earth; the fouls of good and bad men being ipdifcrminately eaten by the deity. But they confider this coalition as a kind of neceflary purification before they enter the regions of blifs; for their dodtrine in¬ culcates, that thofe who refrain from all fenfual connection with women fome months before they depart this life, pafs into their eternal manfion without fuch a previous union, as it by fuch an H 4 abftinence 104 A VOYAGE TO THE abftinence they were fufficiently pure to be ex¬ empted from the general lot. They have not indeed thofe fublime concep¬ tions of happinefs which our religion, and in¬ deed our reafon, teach us to exped hereafter. Immortality is the only great privilege they think they'lhall acquire by death; for they fuppofe that fpirits are not entirely diverted of thofe paffions by which they were aduated when combined with material vehicles. Thus, at a meeting of fouls which were formerly enemies, many con- flids may eniue, which muft certainly be inef¬ fectual as thofe who are in this invifible ftate muft be invulnerable. Their reafoning is fimilar with regard to the meeting of a man and his confort. If the huf- band departs this life firft, the foul of his wife is no ftranger to him on its arrival in the land of fpirits. They renew their former intimacy in a capacious building, calied Tourooa , where de¬ parted fouls affemble tp recreate themfelves with the gods. The hufband then conduds her to his feparate habitation, where they eternally re- fide, and have an offspring, which, however, is purely fpiritual, as their embraces are fuppofed to be far different from thofe of corporeal beings. Many of their notions refpeding the Deity are extravagantly abfurd. They fuppofe him to be under the influence of thofe fpirits who de¬ rive their exiftence from him; and that they fre¬ quently PACIFIC OCEAN. 105 quently eat him, though he has power to re¬ create himfelf. They cannot converfe about im¬ material things, without referring to material ob- jefts to convey their meaning, end therefore per¬ haps they ufe this mode of exprefpon. They further add, that, in the tourooa, the deity inquires whether they mean todeftroy him, or not; and their determination is unalterable. This is not only known to the fpirits, but alfo to the inuabitants of the earth; for, when the moon is on its wane, they are fuppofed to be de¬ vouring their eatooa ; and, in the proportion that it increales, he is renewing himfelf. And the fuperior, as well as the inferior gods are liable to this accident. Other places, they alfo believe, are prepared for the reception of departed fouls. Thus they are of opinion, thatthofe who are drowned in the fea continue there, and enjoy a delight¬ ful country, fumptuous habitations, and every thing that can contribute to their happinefs. They even maintain that all other animals have fouls ; and even trees, fruit, and (tones; which, at their deceafe, or upon their.beingconfumed or broken, afcend to the deity, from whom they pafs into their deftined manfion. They imagine, that every temporal blefiing is derived from their pun&ual performance of re¬ ligious offices. They believe that the powerful influence of the divine fpirit is univerfally dif. fufed. A VOYAGE TO THE lo6 fufed, and therefore it cannot be matter of fur~ prize that they adopt many fuperftitious opi¬ nions concerning its operations. Sudden deaths and all other accidents, they fuppofe to be effe&ed under the immediate impulfe of fome divinity. If a man receives a wound in his toe, by Humbling againft a Hone, it is imputed to an Eatooa. In the night, on approaching a toopapaoo, where dead bodies are expofed, they are ftartled and terrified; asmany of ourftgnorant and fuper¬ ftitious people are at the fight of a church-yard, or with the apprehenfions of ghofts. They have implicit confidence in dreams, fuppofing them to be communications from their deity, or from the fpirit of their friends who have departed th is life; and that thofe who are favoured with them can foretell future events: but this kind of knowledge is limited to particular perfons. Omai pretend¬ ed to have thefe communications. He allured us, that on the 26th of July 1776, his father’s foul had intimatedvto him in a dream, that he fhould land fomewheve in three days ; but he was unfortunate in his firft prophetic attempt, for we did riot get into Teneriffe till the firft Of Auguft. # • Their dreamers, however, are thought little inferior to their infpired pirefts and prieftefles, whofe predictions are univerfally credited ; aad all undertakings of conitquence are determined by PACIFIC OCEAN. 107 by them. Opoony has a particular efteem for theprieftefs who perfuaded him toinvade Ulietea, and always confults her previous to his going to war. Our old doctrine of planetary influence, they, in fome degree, adopt; and are fometimes regulated in. their public councils by the ap¬ pearances of the moon. If, on its firft appear¬ ance after the ^hange, it lies horizontally, they are encouraged to engage in war, and feem confi¬ dent of luccefs. They have ftrange obfcure traditions concern¬ ing the creation. Some goddefs, they fay ? had a lump of earth fufpended in a cord, and, by giving it a Iwing round, fcattered about feveral pieces of land, which conftituted Otaheite and the adjacent iflands; and that they were all peo¬ pled by one of each fex, who originally fixed at Otaheite ; but this only refpe&s their own imme¬ diate creation ; for they admit of an univerfal one before this. Their remoteft account extends to Tatooma and Tapuppa, who are male and fe¬ male rocks, and fupport our globe. Thefe begat Totorro, who was killed and divided into parts or parcels of land ; then Otaia and Oroo were produced, who were afterwards married, and firft begat land, and then a race of gods. Otaia being killed, Oroo marries her fon, a god, named Teorroha, whom (he orders to create animals, more land, and every kind of food found upon the earth. She alfo ordered him to create 4 A VOYAGE TO THE ' 10S Iky, which is fupported by men, called Teeferei. The fpots obfervable in the moon, they fay, are groves of a certain tree, which once grew in Otaheite and being accidentally deftroyed, fome doves carried its feeds thither, where they flourilh at this day. They have many religious and liiftorical le¬ gends ; one of which, relative to eating human flefh, is in fubftance as follows: A very long time ago there lived, at Otaheite, two men who were called Taheeai ; a name which is now given to cannibals. They inhabited the mountains, whence they iffued forth and murdered the na¬ tives, whom they afterwards devoured, and thus prevented the progrefs of population. T wo bro¬ thers, anxious to rid the country of fuch enemies, fuccefsfully put in practice a ftratagem for their deftrudion. They lived farther upward than the taheeai, and were fo fituated, that they could converfe with them without hazarding their own fafety. They invited them to partake of an en¬ tertainment, to which they readily confented. The brothers then heated fome (tones in a fire, and thruftingthem into pieces of mahee, requeft- ed one of the Taheeai to open his mouth ; when one of thofe pieces was immeditely .dropped in, and fome water poured after it, which, in quench¬ ing the ftone, made a hilling noife and killed him. The other was intreated to do the fame ; but at firlt declined it, mentioning the confer quences ' PACIFIC OCEAN. IO9 quences of his companion’s eating: but upon being allured that the food was excellent, that thefe effects were only temporary, and that his . companion would foon recover, he was fo cre¬ dulous as to fwallow the bait, and was alfo killed. Their bodies were then cut to pieces, and bu¬ ried by the natives, who rewarded the brothers with the government of the ifland, for delivering them from fuch monfters. They refided at Wha- paeenoo, a diftrift in the ifland, where there now- remains a bread fruit tree, which was once the property of the Taheeais. They had a woman who lived with them, that had two enormous teeth. After they were killed, flie lived at Ota- ha; and, when {he died, (he was ranked among their deities. She did not, like the men, feed upon human fle£h ; but, from the pordigious fize of her teeth, the natives ftill call any animal that has large tulks Taheeai. This ftory, it muft be acknowledged, is as na¬ tural as that of Hercules deftroying the hydra, or of Jack the Giant-killer. But it does not appear that there is any moral couched under it, any more than under moft of the old fables, which have been received as truths in ignorant ages. It, however, was not injudicioufly introduced, as ferving to exprefs the deteftation entertained here againft cannibals. And yet it appears pro¬ bable from fome circumftances, that the natives of thefe ifles formerly fed upon human flefh. 2 Upon no A VOYAGE TO THE UponafkingOmaiafew queftions upon this fub- jecfc, he refolutcly denied it; though, at the,fame time, he related a fad within his own knowledge, which almoft eftablifhes fuch a conjedure. When the Bolabola men defeated thofe of Huaheihe, many ofhiskinfmen were flain; but a ,relation of his had an opportunity of being re¬ venged, when the people of Bolabola were worft- ed in their turn ; and, cutting a piece of flelh from the thigh of one of his enemies, he broiled and--devoured it. The offering made to the chief of the eye of the perfon facrificed, appears to be a veftige of a cuftora that once exifted to a greater extent. The principal charaderiftics of the fovereign are, the being inverted with the maro, the pre- fiding at human facrifices, and the blowing of the conch-lhell. On hearing the latter, every fubjed is obliged to bring food, in proportion to his circumftances, to his royal refidence. Their veneration for his name, on fome occafions, they carry to a moll extravagant height. When he accedes to the maro, if any words in the lanp-uaee are found to have a refemblance to it in found, they are immediately changed for others; and, if any man fhould be prefumptuous enough to continue the ufe of thofe words, not only he, but his whole family are put to death. A limilar fate attends all thofe who fhali dare m apply the facred name of the fovereign to any. animal. PACIFIC OCEAN. Ill animal. Whence Omai, when in England, ex- prefled his indignation, that the names of prince or princefs Ihould be given to our dogs or horfes.' But thouglr death is the punilhment for taking this liberty with \he name of the fovereign, abufe againft his government is only puniQied with the forfeiture of land and houfes. The fovereign never deigns to enter the habi¬ tation of any of his fubjedts; in every diftridt, where he vifits he has houfes belonging to him- felf. And if, by accident, he fliould ever be obliged to deviate from this rule, the habitation thus honoured with his prefence, together with its furniture, is entirely burnt. When prefent, his fubjedts uncover to him as low as the waifl; and when he is at any particular place, a pole with a piece of cloth affixed to it, is fet up in fome confpicuous part near, on which the fame honours are bellowed. To the firft part of this ceremony his brothers are entitled ; but the wo¬ men only uncover to the royal females. They are even fuperftitious in refped to their fovereign, and elleem his perfon as almofl facred. To thefecircumllances, perhaps, he is indebted for the quiet poffeffion of his dominions. Even the people of Tiaraboo admit his claim to the fame honours, though they efteem their own chief as more powerful, and affert that, Ihould the reigning family become extindl, he would fucceed to the government of the whole ifland. This:. 112 A VOYAGE TO THE This indeed is probable, as Waheiadooa, ex* clufive of Tiaraboo, poffeffes many diftridt of Opooreanoo. The extent of his territories is, therefore, almoft equal to thofe of Otoo ; and his pact of the ifland is more populous and fertile. His fubjedts, too, have (hewn their fuperiority, by frequently defeating thofe of Otaheite-nooe, whom they hold in a contemptible light as war¬ riors; and over whom they, might be eafily vic¬ torious, if their chief (hould be inclined to put it to the teft. The people, exclufive of the Eree de hoi , and his family, are clafled in the following order. The Erees, or powerful chiefs; the Manahoone, or vaflals ; and the Teou, or Toutou, fervants or Haves. The men, agreeably to the regular infti- tution, connedt themfelves with women of their refpedtive ranks ; but if with one of an inferior clafs and (he brings forth a child, it is not only preferved, but is entitled to the rank of the father; unlefs he (hould happen to be an Eree, in which c^fe the child is killed. If a woman of condition permits a man of in¬ ferior rank to officiate as a hulband, the children they produce are alfo killed. And if a Teou be detedted in an intrigue with a female of the royal family, he is punhhed with death. The fon of the Eree de hoi , at his birth, fucceeds his father in titles and honours; but, if he has no children the government devolves to his brother at his death. PACIFIC OCEAN. 1 13 death. Poffeffions, in other families, defcend to the eledeft fon, who is, neverthelefs, obliged to fupport his brothers and fillers, and allow them houfes on his eftates. Otaheite is divided into feveral diHridls, the boundaries of which are generally rivulets or low- hills ; but the fubdivifions, by which particular property is afcertained, are pointed out by large Hones which have continued from generation to generation. Quarrels are fometimes produced, by the removal of thefe Hones, which are decided by battle ; each party claiming the affiftance of his friends. But, upon a complaint being pro¬ perly made to the Eree de hoi, he -determines the difference in an amicable manner. Thefe offences, however, are not common ; and property feems to be as fecure here, from long tuftom, as from the fevered: laws in other coun¬ tries. It is an eftablifhed pradtice among them, that crimes which are not of a general nature, are left to be punifhed by the party who is in¬ jured, fuppofing that he will decide as equitably as a perfon totally unconcerned : and, long cuf- tom having allotted certain punifhments for cer¬ tainly crimes, he may inflidt them, without being amenable to any one. If, for inftance, any per- fon be detedled Healing, which is ufually done in the night, the owner of the goods ftolen may kill the thief immediately. But they feldom inflidt fo fevere a punifhment, unlefs the property taken is Vol. II.—n° 8. I very 114 A VOYAGE TO THE very valuable ; fuch as plaited hair and breaft- plates. When only clofh, or bogs, are ftolen, and the robber efca’pes* if, upon his being after¬ wards difcovered, he engages to return the fame number of hogs, and pieces of cloth, he is ac¬ quitted of the offence; or, at moft, receives a flight beating. If, in a quarrel, one perfon fhould kill another, the friend of the deceafed attack the furvivor and his adherents. If, they are victorious, they take poffeffion of the houfe and property of the other party ; but, if they are vanquifhed, the re- verfe takes place. Should a Manahoone kill the flave of a chief, the latter feizes the property of the former, who flies the country. A few months after, he returns, and, finding his flock of hogs increafed, makes a large prefent of thefe, and other valuable articles,, to the Tontou's mafter, who generally confiders it as a compenfation, and fuffers him to repoffel's his premiks. But, it is not furprizing that the killing of a man fhoukl be confidered as fo trifling, an offence, among a people who do not think it a crime to murder their own children. On converting wirh them concerning fuch inftances of unnatural cruelty, and afking. them, if their chiefs were not offend¬ ed, and did not punifh them ; they faid the chief had no right to interfere in fuch cafes, every one being at liberty to d6 what he pleafed with his own child. TLough PACIFIC OCEASf. **5 Though the people, their cuftoms and man. hers, and the produdions of the iflands in the neighbourhood, may, in general, be confide red the fame as at Otaheite, yet there are a few diffe¬ rences. In the little ifland Mataia, or Ofnaburgh Ifland, which lies twenty leagues eaft of Otaheite, is fpoken a different dialed from that of Citaheite. The men of Mataia alfo wear long hair; and, pre¬ vious to their fighting, cover their arm with fome- thing befet with fharks teeth, and their bodies with a fkin of fifhes, not unlike fhagreeri. They are likewife ornamented with polifhed pearl fhells, which make a refulgent glittering in the fun ; and they have a very large, one before, which covers them like a fliield. In the language of Otaheite, there are many words and phrafes very different from thofe of the iflands to the vveflward of it. It is remark¬ able for producing, in great abundance, that de¬ licious fruit which we call apples, which are not to be found in any of the others, except Eimeo. It alfo produces an odoriferous wood, called eahoij which is much efteemed at the other ifles. Hua- heine and Eimeo produce more yams than the other iflands; and, upon the hills at Mourooa, a particular bird is found, which is highly valued for its white feathers. Befides the number or duller of iflands, ex¬ tending from Mataia to Mourooa, we were in¬ formed by the people at Otaheite, that there was I a a low A VOYAGE TO TftE r 16 a low uninhabited ifland, called Mopeeha; and alfo feveral low iflands, to the north eaftward, at the diftance of about two days fail with a fair wind. At Mataeeva, it is faid to be ctiftomary, for men to prefent their daughters to ftrangers who vifit that ifland. The pairs, however, mull lie near each other for the (pace of five nights, with¬ out prefuming to take any liberties. On the fixth evening, the father entertains his gueft with food* and orders the daughter to receive him, that night, as her hufband. Though the bed-fellow be ever fo difagreeable to the ftranger, he mud not dare to exprefs the leaft diflike; for that is an unpardonable affront, and punifhable with death. Forty men of Bolabola, whom curiofity had incited to go to Mataeeva, were treated in this manner; one of them having declared his , averfion to the female who fell to his lot, in the hearing of a boy, who mentioned it to the father. Fired with this information, the Mataeevans fell upon them; but the Bolabolans killed thrice their own number, though with the lofs of the whole party except five. Thefe, at firft, conceal¬ ed tliemfelves in the woods, and afterwards ef- feded their efcape in a canoe. The low ifles are, perhaps, the fartheft navi¬ gation performed by the inhabitants of Qtaheite, and the Society Iflands. Monfieur de Bougain¬ ville is certainly in an error, when he fays, “ Thefe people PACIFIC OCEAN. 117 people fometimes navigate at the diftanccof more than three hundred leagues For it is deemed a fort of prodigy, that a canoe, which was once driven from Otaheite in a florm, fhould have ar¬ rived at Mopeeha, though diredtly to leewaid, at no great diftance. Their knowledge of diftant iflands, is merely traditional; communicated to them by the natives of thofe illands, who luve been accidentally driven upon their coafts. CHAP. X. Profecution of our Voyage, after our Departure from the Society Jfies—Chriftmas Ifland difcovered— Supplies of Fijh and Turtle—Solar Eclipfe — D if refs of two Seamen who had lojl their Way— Singular Mode of refrefhing himfelf praEiifed by one of thefe Stragglers—Infcription left in a Bot¬ tle—Soil of the Ijland defcnbed-—Trees and Plants — Birds, and other Animals—Further Particu¬ lars re [peeling Chrifimas Ifland. U PON our quitting Bolabola, and taking leave of the Society Iflands, on Monday the 8th of December, we fleered to the north¬ ward, with the wind between north-eaft and eafl ; * Bougainville’s Voyage Autour du Monde, p. 228. I 3 fcarce A VOTAGE TO THE 118 fcarce ever having it in the fouth-eaft point, till after we had eroded the equator. Though a year and five months had now elapfed fince our depar¬ ture from England, during which period we had not been, upon the whole, unprofitably employed. Captain Cook was fenfible, that, with refpedt to the principal object of his inftrudtions, our voyage might be confidered, at this time, as only at its commencement; and therefore, his attention to whatever might contribute towards our fafety and final fuccefs, was now to be exerted as it were anew. He had with th}s view examined into the date of our provifions at the iflands we had laft vifited; and having now, on leaving them, pro¬ ceeded beyond the extent of the former difto- veries, he ordered an accurate furvey to be taken of all the ftores that were in each Ihip, that, by being fully informed of die quantity and condi¬ tion of every article, he might know how to ufe them to the greateft advantage. Before we quitted the Society ifles, we had taken every opportunity of enquiring of the na¬ tives, whether there were any iflands fituated in a northerly or north-wefterly direction from them; but it did not appear that they knew of any; qor did we meet with anything by which the vicinity of land was indicated, till we began,- about the latitude of 8° fouth, jio fee boobies, men-of-war birds, terns, tropic-birds, and a few other forts. Pqr longitude, at this time, was 205° eafL Iq the PACIFIC OCEAN. II 9 the night between the 2zd and 23d, we crofled the equinqdtial line; and on the 24th, foon after day-break, we difcovered land bearing north-eaft by eaft. It was found, upon our making a nearer approach to it, to be one of thofe low iflands which are fo frequently met with in this ocean between the tropics; that is, a narrow bank of land that enclofes the fea within. We obferved fome cocoa-nut trees in two or three places; but the land in general had a very fteril afpedt. At twelve o’clock it was about four miles diftant. On the weflern fide we found the depth of water to be from forty fo fourteen fathoms, over a fandy bottom. Captain Cook being of opinion that this ifland would prove a convenient place for procuring turtle, refolved to anchor here. We accordingly dropped our anchors in thirty fathoms water; and a boat was immediately difpatched to fearch for a commodious landing-place. When (he re¬ turned, the officer who had been employed in this fearch, reported, that he found no place where a boat could land ; but that fifh greatly abounded in the flioal-water, without the breakers. Early the next morning, which wasChriftmas-day, two boats were fent, one from each fhip, to examine more accurately whether it was practicable to lgmd; and at the fame time, two others were or¬ dered out, to fifh at a grappling near the fhore. Thefe laft returned about eight, with as many fifh I 4 120 A VOYAGE TO THE as weighed upwards of two hundred pounds. En¬ couraged . by this fuccefs, the Commodore dif- patched them again after breakfaft; and he then went himfelf in another boat, to view the coaft, and attempt landing, which, however, he found to be impracticable. The two boats which had been fent out on the fame fearch, returned about twelve o’clock; and the matter, who was in that belonging to the Refolution, reported to Captain Cook, that, about four or five miles to the north¬ ward, there being a break in the land, and a chan¬ nel into the lagoon, there was confequently a proper plate for landing; and that he, had found off this entrance the fame foundings as we had where we now were ftationed. In confequence of this report we weighed, and, after two or three trips, anchored again over a bottom of fine dark fand, before a little ifland lying at the entrance of the lagoon. On Friday the 26th in the morning, the Com¬ modore ordered Captain Clerke to fend out a boat, with an officer in it, to the fouth-eaft part of the lagoon, in queft of turtle; and went him- lelf with Mr. King, each in a boat, to the north- eaft part. It was his intention to have gone to the eaftern extremity; but the wind not permit¬ ting it, he and Mr. King landed more to leeward, on a fandy flat, where they caught one turtle, which was the only one they faw in the lagoon. They waded through the water to an ifland, where they PACIFIC OCEAN. I3£ they found nothing but a few birds Captain Cook, leaving Mr. King here to obferve the fun’s meridian altitude, proceeded to the land that bounds the fea towards the north-weft, which he found even more barren than the laft-mentioned ifle; but walking over to the fea- coaft, he obferved five turtles dole to the fhore, one of which he caught: he then returned on board, as did Mr, King foon afterwards. Though fo few turtles were obferved by thefe two gentlemen, we did not defpair of a fupply; for fome of the officers of the Difcovery, who had been afhore to the fouth- wardof the channel leading into the lagoon, had more fuccefs, and caught feveral. The next morning, the cutter and pinnace were difpatched, under the command of Mr. King, to the fouth-eaft part of the ifland, within the la¬ goon, to catch turtle; and the fmall cutter was fent towards the north to the fame purpofe. Some of Captain Clerke’s people having been on fhore all night, had been fo fortunate as to turn up* wards of forty turtles on the fand, which were this day brought on board; and, in the courfe of the afternoon, the party detached to the north¬ ward returned with half a dozen; and being fent back again, continued there till we departed from the ifland, having, upon the whole, pretty good fuccefs. The d&y following (the 28th) Captain Cook, accompanied by Mr. Bayly, landed on the ifland fituated between the two channels into the 12 ® A yOYAGE TO THE the lagoon, to prepare the telefcopes for obferving the folar eclipfe that was to happen on the 30th. Towards noon, Mr. King returned with one boat, and eight turtles; feven being left behind to be brought by the other boat, whofe people were occupied in catching more; and, in the evening,, the fame boat conveyed them provifions and water, Mr. Williamfon now went to fuperintend this bufinefs in the room of Mr. King, who re, mained on board, in order to attend the obfer- vation of the eclipfe. The next day, the two "boats, laden with turtle, were fent back to the drip 'by Mr. Wiliamfon, who, at the fame time, in a meffage to Captain Cook, requefted, that the boats might be ordered round by fea, as he had difcovered a landing-place on the fouth-eaft fide of the ifland, where the greateft numbers of turtle were caught; fo that, by difpatching the boats thither, the trouble of carrying them over the land (as had hitherto been done) to the infide of the lagoon, would be faved. This advice was followed. On Tuefday the 30th, Captain Cook, ^,nd Meffrs. King and Bayly, repaired in the morn¬ ing to the fmall ifland above mentioned, to ob- ferve the eclipfe of the fun. The fky was over- cafl at times; but it was clear when the eclipfe ended. In the afternoon, the party who had been employed in catching turtle at the fouth-eaflern |>art of the ifland, returned on board, except a, failor PACIFIC OCEAN. I 23 , fa'ilor belonging to Captain Clerke’s Ihip, who had been miffing for two days. At firft, there were two men who had loft their way; but hap¬ pening to difagree with refpeft to the track that was moft likely to bring them to their compa¬ nions, they had feparated; and one of them found means to rejoin the party, after anabfence of twenty-four hours, during which he had expe¬ rienced great diftrefs. There being no frelk water in the whole ifiand, and not one cocoa-nut tree in that part of it, he, in order to allay his third, had recourfe to the extraordinary expedient of drinking the blood of turtle, which he killed for that purpofe. His method of refrelhing him- felf, when fatigued, was equally lingular, though he faid he felt the good effefts of it: he undrefled himfelf, and lay down in the {hallow water on the beach for fome time. How thefe two men had contrived to lofe their way, was a matter of aftonilhment. The land over which their journey lay, from the fea-coaft to the lagoon, where the boats were ftationed, did not exceed three miles acrofs; nor was there any •thing that could impede their view; for the coun¬ try was level, with a few Ihrubs difperfed'about it; and, from many parts, the mails of our velfels could be ealily difcerned. This, however, was a rule of direftion which they did not think of; nor did they recollect in what part of the illand the {hips lay a{ anchor^ and they were totally at a ?24 A VOYAGE TO THE lofs how to get back to them, or to the party they had fo careleflly draggled from. Confidering what drange people the generality of failors are, •while on fliore, we might, indead of being much furprized that thefe two fhould thus lol'e them- felves, rather wonder that no more of the party were miffing. Captain Clerke was no fooner informed that one of the ftragglers was dill in this dilagreeable fitu- ation, than he detached a party in fearch of him; hut neither the man nor the party having re¬ turned, the next morning the Commodore ordered two boats into the lagoon, to proiecute the fearch by different tracks. In a Ihort time after. Cap¬ tain Clerke’s detachment returned, with their lod companion; in confequence of which the boats difpatched into the lagoon were called back by fignal. This man’s didrefs mud have been far greater than that of the other draggler; not only as he had been lod a longer time, but as he was too delicate to drink turtle’s blood. Having fome yams and coeoa-nuts on board. In a date of vegetation, we planted them, by Captain Cook’s order, on the fmall ifland where he had obferved the late eclipfe; and fome fteds of. melons were fown in another place. The Captain alfo left on that little ifle a bottle, con¬ taining the following inscription: Georgius Per this, Rex, 31 Decembris,. 1777. -r f Refolution, Jac. Cook, pr. aV£S Dijcovery, Car. Clerke , Pr. On Pacific ocean 125 On Thurfday the ill of January, 1778, the Commodore fent out feveral boats to bring on board our different parties employed afhore with the turtle which they had caught- It being late before this bufinefs was completed, he thought proper to defer failing till the next morning. We procured at this illand, for both Ihips, about three hundred turtles, which weighed, one with another, about ninety pounds; they were all of the green fort, and, perhaps, not inferior in goodnefs to any in the world. We alfo caught, with hook and line, a great quantity of fifh, principally confid¬ ing of cavallies, fnappers,/ and a few rock-fifh of two fpecies, one with whitifh ftreaks fcattered about, and the other with numerous blue fpots. The foil of this ifiand (to which Captain Cook gave the name of Chriftmas Ifland, as we kept that feftival here) is, in fome places, light and blackifh, compofed of fand, the dung of birds* and rotten vegetables. In other parts, it is formed of broken coral-ftones, decayed fliells, and other marine produdions; Thefe are depo¬ sed in long, narrow ridges, lying parallel with thefea-coaft; and mull have been thrown up by the waves, though they do not reach, at prefent, within a mile of fome of thefe places; This feems to prove inconteftably, that the ifland has been produced by different acceffions from the fea, and is in a ftate of augmentation; the broken pieces of coral, and likewife many of the fliells, being 126 A VOYAGE TO THE \ being too large and heavy to have been brought from the beach by any birds to tne places where they are now lying. We could not find any where a drop of frefn water, though we frequently dug for it. We met with feveral ponds of fait water, •which, as they had no vifible communication with the fea, were probably filled by the water filtrating though the fand during the time of high tides. One of the men who loft their way found fome fait on the fouth-eaftern part of the ifland. We could not difcover the fmalleft traces of any human creature having ever been here before us; and, indeed, (hould any one be accidentally driven on the ifland, or left there, he would hardly be able to prolong his exiftence. For, though there are birds and fifti in abundance, there are no vifible means of allaying thirft, nor any vegetable that would ferve as a fubftitute for bread, or correct the bad effects ot an animal dret. On the few* cocoa-nut trees upon the ifland, we found very little fruit, and that little not good. A few low trees were obferved in fome parts, befides feveral fmall (hrubs and plants, which grew in a very languid manner. We found a fort of purflain, a fpecies of Jida or Indian mallow, and another plant that feemed, from its leaves, to be a mefembryanthemum ; with two forts of grafs. Under the low trees fat v.aft numbers of a new fpecies of tern, or egg-bird, black above, and white below, having a white arch on the fore¬ head. PACIFIC OCEAN. I27 head. Thefe birds are fomewhat larger than the common noddy: their eggs are' bluilh, and fpeckled with black. There were likewife many- common boobies; a fort greatful refembling a gannet; and a chocolate-coloured fpecies, with a white belly. Men-of-war birds, curlews, plovers, tropic-birds, petrels, &c. are alft to be feen here. We law feveral rats, fmaller thau our’s. There were numbers of land-crabs, and fmall lizards. Chriftmas Ifland is fuppofed by Captain Cook to be between fifteen and twenty leagues in cir¬ cuit. Its form is femi-circular; or like the moon in her laft quarter, the two horns being the north and fquth points. The weft fide, or the fmall ifland fituate at the entrance into the lagoon, lies in the longitude of 202° 30'' eaft, and in the lati¬ tude of i° 59'north. Like mod of the other idles in this ocean, Chriftmas Ifland is furrounded by a reef of coral rock, extending but a little way-from the Ihore; and further out than this reef, on the weftern fide, is a bank of fand, which extends a mile into the fea. There is good anchorage on this bank, in any depth between eighteen and thirty fathoms. During our continuance here, the wind generally blew a frefli gale at eaft by fouth, or eaft; and we had conftantly a great fwell from the northward, which broke on the reef in a very violent furf. CHAP. A VOYAGE TO THE CHAP. XI. Three IJlands difcovered—The Inhabitants of Atooi approach us in their Canoes*—Their Per Jons de¬ ferred—Some of them venture on board—Their Amazement on that Occafion—Precautions againjt importing the Venereal Difeafe into the I/land — One of the Natives killed—The Ships caft Au¬ thor—The Commodore’s Reception on landing — His Excurfon into the Country, with Meffrs. Webber and Anderfon—Defcription of a Moral and its Obelijk—The Cufiom of offering hu¬ man Fiblims prevalent among thefe People — Curious feathered Cloaks and Caps—The Refo- lution driven from Atooi Road—The IJle of Onee- ■heow vif ted--Some of our People are detained oh Shore—Animals and Seeds left at Oneeheow-- Cuftoms of the Natives—The Ships proceed to the northward. / W EIGHING anchor at day-break, oft Friday the 2d of January, 1778, we re- fumed our northerly courfe, with a gentle breeEe it eaft, ind eaft-fouth-eaft, which continued till we arrived„ in the latitude of 7 0 45* north, and the longitude of 205°eaft, where we had a day. of perfed calm. A north-eaft-by-eaft wind then fueceeded, which blew faintly at firft, but frefhen- ed as we proceeded northward. We daily ob- ferved Tropic birds, men-of-war-birds, boobies, &c. See. and between the latitude io° and n° north, we faw feveral turtles. Though all thefe are confidered as figns of the proximity of land, we difeovered none till early in the morning of Sun¬ day the 18th, when an ifland appeared, bearing north-eaft-by-eaft. Not long after, more land was feen, which bore north, and was totally de¬ tached from the former. At noon, the firft was fuppoftd to be eight or nine leagues diftant. Our longitude, at this time, was 200° 41'' eaft, and our latitude, 21° 12' north. The next day, at fun-rife, the ifland firft feen bore eaft, at the diftance of feveral leagues. Not being able to reach this, we fhaped our courfe for the other; and foon after, obferved a third ifland, bearing weft-north-weft. We had now a fine breeze at eaft-bjr-north; and, at noon, the fecond ifland, named Atooi, for the eaft end of which we were fleering, was about two leagues diftant. As we made a nearer approach, many of the inhabitants put off from the fhore in their canoes, and very readily came along-fide the {hips. We were agreeably fur- prized to find, that they fpoke a dialedi of the Otaheitean language. They could not be pre¬ vailed ppon by any entreaties to come on board. Captain Cook tied fome brafs medals to a rope, which he gave to thofe who were on board the canoes; and they, in return, faftened fomC mackarel to the rope, by way of equivalent. This V@l. II.—n° 9. K was A VOYAGE T« THE 130 was repeated; and fome fmall nails, or pieces of* iron, Were given them; for which they gave irt exchange fome more fifh, and a fweet potatop; a fure indication of their having fome notion of bartering, or, at leaft, of returning one prefent for another. One of them even offered for fale the piece of fluff which he wore about his waift. Thefe people did not exceed the ordinary fize, and were floutly made. Their complexion was brown; and though there appeared to be little difference in the calls of their colour, there was a confiderable variation in their features. Moft of them had their hair cropped rather fhort;. a few had it tied in a bunch at the top of the head; and others fuffered it to flow loofe. It feemed to be naturally black; but the generality of them had flained it with fome Huff which communicated to it a brownifh colour. Mofl of them had pretty long beards. They had no or¬ naments about their perfons, nor did we obferve that they had thieir ears perforated. Some of them were tatooed on the hands, or near the groin; and the pieces of cloth, which were worn by them round their middle, were curioufly coloured with white, black, and red. They feemed to be mild and good-natured; and were furnifhbd with no arms of any kind, except fome fmall ftones* which they had manifeftly brought for their own de¬ fence; and thefe they threw into the fea when they found that there was no occafion for them. As PACIFIC OCEAN; 131 As we perceived no fignsofan anchoring-place ^at this eaftern extremity of the ifland, we bore away to leeward, and ranged along the fouth- ealt fide, at the diftance ! of about a mile and a half from the fhore. The canoes left us when We made fail; but others came off, as we pro¬ ceeded along the coaft, and brought with them pigs and fome excellent potatoes, which they ex T changed for whatever we offered to them; and feveral fmallpigs were purchased by us for a fix- penny nail. We paffed divers villages; fome of which were fituated near the fea, and others fur¬ ther up the country. The inhabitants of all of them came in crowds to the fhore, and affembled on the elevated places to take a view of the fhips. On this fide of the ifland the land rifes in a gen¬ tle acclivity from the fea to the bottom of the mountains, which occupy the central part of the country, except at one place near the eaflern end, there they rife immediately from the fea: they feemed to be compofed of ftone, or rocks lying in horizontal jlrata. We obferved a few trees about the villages; near which we could alfo difcern feveral plantations of fugar-canes and plantains. We continued to found, but did not ftrike ground with a line of fifty fa¬ thoms, till we came abreaft of a low point, near the north-weft extremity of the ifland, where we found from twelve to fourteen fathoms, over a rocky bottom. Having paffed this pointy we K 2 met 132 A VOYAGE TO THE met with twenty fathoms, then fixteen, twelve, and at lalt five, over a bottom of fand. We fpent the night in (landing off and on; and, the next morning, flood in for the land. We were met by feveral canoes filled with natives, fome of whom ventured to come on board. None of the inhabitants we ever met with be¬ fore in any other ifland or country, were fo afto- nilhed as thefe people were, upon entering a fhip. Their eyes were incelfantly roving from one ob¬ ject to another; and the wildnefs of their looks and geftures, fully indicated their perfefl igno¬ rance with refpedt to every thing they faw; and ftrongly marked to us, that they had never, till the prefent time, been vifited by Europeans, nor been acquainted with any of our commodities, except iron. This metal, however, they had in all probability only heard of, or had perhaps known it in fome inconfidcrable quantity,brought to them at a remote period. They alked for it by the appellation of hamaite , referring probably to- fome inftrument, in making which iron could be ferviceably employed; for they applied that name to the blade of a knife, though they had no idea of that particular inftrument, which they could not even handle properly. They alfo fre¬ quently called iron by the name of toe, which fignifies a hatchet, or adze. On our fhewing them fome beads, they firft alked what they were; and then, whether they were to be eaten. But, on their PACIFIC OCEAN. 1 33 their being informed, that they were to be hung in their ears, they rejefted them asufelefs. They were equally ^indifferent with regard to a looking- glafs that; we offered them, and returned it for a fimilar reafon. China cups, plates of earthen ware, and other things of that kind, were fo new to them, that they allied whether they were made of wood. They, were, in many refpeQs, natu¬ rally polite; or, at leaft, cautious of giving offence. Some of them, juft before their ventur¬ ing on'board, repeated a long prayer; and others, afterwards, fung and made various motions with their hands. On their firft entering the-fliips, they attempted to fteal every thing that they could lay hands on, or rather to take it openly, as if they fuppofed that we either fliould not refent fuch behaviour, or not hinder it. But we foon convinced them of their error; and when they pbferved that we kept a watchful eye over them, they became lefs acffive in appropriating Jo them- felves what did not belong to them. About nine o’clock Captain Cook difpatched Lieutenant Williapafon, with three armed boats, to look out for a proper landing-place, and for frefh water; with orders, that, if he fliould find it neceffary to land in fearch of the latter, he fliould not allow more than one man to accom¬ pany him out of the boats. The very moment they were putting off* from the (hip, one of the jflanders having ftolen a cleaver, leaped ov^r K 3 board, A VOYAGE TO tBE board, got into his canoe, and haftened towards the fli.'re, while the boats purfued him in vain. The reafon of the Commodore’s order that the crews of the boats fhould not go on fhore, was that he might prevent, if poffible, the importa¬ tion ofadangerous difeafe into this illand, which he knew fomeof our people now laboured under, and which we, unfortunately, had already com¬ municated to other illands in this ocean. From the fame motive, he commanded that all female vifitants fhould be excluded from both the (hips. Many perfons of this fex had come off in the ca¬ noes. Their features, complexion, and ftature, were net very different from thofe of the men; and though their countenances were extremely open and agreeable, few traces of delicacy were vifible either in their faces, or other proportions. The only difference in their drefs, was their hav¬ ing a piece of cloth about their bodies, reach ing from near the middle almoft down to the knees, inftead of the maro worn by the male-fex. They were as much inclined to favour us with ■their company on board, as fome of the men were; but the Commodore was extremely de- firous of preventing all connexion, which might in all probability, convey an irreparable injury to themfelves, and afterwards, through their means, to the whole nation. Another pru¬ dent precaution was taken, by ftrijftly enjoin r jng, that no perfon capable of communicat¬ ing PACIFIC OCEAN.’ I35 ingthe infeXion fhould be fent upon duty out of the fhips. Captain Cook had paid equal attention to the fame objeX, when he firlt vifited the Fiendly Ifles; but he afterwards found, to his great re¬ gret, that his endeavours had not fucceeded. And there is reafon to apprehend, that this will conftantly be the cafe, in fuch voyages as ours, whenever it is neceffary that many people fhould be employed on fhore. The opportunities and incitements to an amorous intercourfe arqthen too numerous to be effectually guarded againft; and however confident a commander may be of the health of his men, he is often undeceived too late. Among a number of men, there are in general to be found feme, who, out of baflifulnefs, en¬ deavour to conceal their having any venereal fymptoms: and there are others fo profligate and abandoned, as not to care to whom they com¬ municate this difeafe. We had an inftance of the laft remark at Tongataboo, in the gunner of the Difcovery, who had been ftationed on fhore. After knowing that he had contraXed this dif- order, he continued to have connexions with dif¬ ferent women, who were fuppofed to have been, till that time, free from any infeXion. His com¬ panions remonftrated to him on this fcandalous behaviour without effect, till Captain Clerke, being informed of fuch a dangerous irregularity $>f conduX, ordered him to repair on board, K 4 ' Waiting 136 A VOYAGE tO THE Waiting for the return of our boats, which had been fent out to reconnoitre the coafl, we flood off and on with the fhips. Towards mid-day, Mr. Williamfon came back, and reported, that he had obferv^d behind a beach, near one of the villages, a large pond, which was faid by the na¬ tives to contain frefh water; and that there was tolerable anchoring-ground before it. He alfo mentioned, that he had made an attempt to land in another place, but was prevented by the iflan- ders, who, coming down in great numbers to the boats, endeavoured to take away the oars, mufquets, and every other article which they could lay hold of; and crowded fo thick upon him and his people, that he was under the necef- fity of firing, by which one man was killed. This unfortunate circumflance, however, was not known to Captain Cook till after we had quit¬ ted the ifland; fo that all his meafures were di¬ rected as if no affair of that kind had happened* Mr. Williamfon informed him, that', as foon as the man fell, he w as taken up and carried off by his countrymen, who then retired from the boats; but flill they made fignalsfor our people to land, which they declined. ' It did not appear, that the natives had the leaft intention of killing, or even hurting, any of Mr. Williamfon’s party; but they feemed to have been excited by curio- fity alone, to get from them what they had, be- PACIFIC OCEAN. ing prepared to give, in return,- any thing tha^ appertained to themfelves. Captain Cook then difpatchedoneof the boats to lie in the belt anchoring-ground; and when file had gained this Ration, he bore down with the Chips, and caft anchor in twenty-five fathoms water, over a Tandy bottom. The eaftern point of the road, which was the low point already men¬ tioned, bore fouth 51 0 eaft; the weft point, north 65° weft ; and the village near which the frefh wa¬ ter was faid to be, was one mile dillant. The ^ 1 fhips being thus Rationed, between three and four in the afternoon, the Captain went afhore with three armed boats, and twelve of the ma¬ rines, with a view of examining the water, and frying the difpofition of the inhabitants who had affembled in confiderable numbers on a fandy beach before the village; behind it was a valley, in which was the piece of water. The moment he leaped on fiiore, all the iflanders fell proftrate upon their faces,, and continued in that pgfture of humiliation, till, by figns, he prevailed on, them to rife. They then prefented tc> him many fmall pigs, with plantain-trees, making ufe of nearly the fame ceremonies which we had feen praeftifed, on fimilar occafions, at the Society and other ifles; and a long oration or prayer being pronounced by an individual, in which others of the affem- bly occasionally joined. Captain Cook fignified his acceptance of their proffered friendship, by bellowing A VOYAGE TO TES. *3$ feeftowing on them, in return, f’udi preferrts lie had brought afhore. This introduftory bufi~ Befs being ended, he Rationed a guard upon the beach, and was then conducted by fome of the natives to the water, which he found extremely good, and fo eonfiderable, that it might be de¬ nominated a lake. After this, he returned on board, and iflfued orders that preparations Should be made for filling our water-cafks in the morn¬ ings at which time he went afhore with feme of bis people, having a party of marines for a guard. They had no fooner landed, than a trade was entered into for potatoes and hogs, which the iftanders gave in exchange for nails and pieces of iron. Far from giving any obftruQuon to out? men who were occupied in watering, they evert affifted them in rolling the calks to and from the pool, and performed with alacrity whatever was required of them. Captain Cook leaving the command at this Ration to Mr. Williamfoh, who bad landed with him, made an excurfion into the country, up the valley, being accompanied by Meflrs. Anderfon and Webber, and followed by a numerous train of natives, one of whom, who had been very aftive in keeping the others Mi order, the Captain made choice of as a guide* This man, from time to time, proclaming the approach of our gentlemen, every perfon who met them, fell proftrate on the ground, and re- pained \n that humble pofition till they had 2 'palled. PACIFIC OCEAN, *39 pa{Ted. This, as we were afterwards informed,, is their method of (hewing refpe6t to their own great chiefs. We had obferved at every village, as we ranged along the coaft in the (hips, one or more ele¬ vated white objedts, refembling pyramids, or ra¬ ther obelifks; one of which, fuppofed by Cap¬ tain Cook to be at lead fifty Feet in height, was very confpicuous from our anchoring-ftation, and feemed to be at a fmall diftance up this valley. To have a nearer view of it, was the principal motive of our gentlemen’s walk. Their guide was acquainted with their defire of being conducted to it: but it happened to be in fuch a fituation, that they could not get at it, the pool of water feparating it from them. However, as there was another of the fame kind about half a mile dif- tant, upon their fide of the valley, they fet out to vifit that. As foon as they reached it, they perceived that it was fituate in a burying-ground, ot moraiy which bore a ftriking refemblance, in feveral refpedts, to thofe they had feen at Ota- heite and other illands in this Qcean. It was an oblong fpace, of confiderable extent, environed by a (lone-wall, four or five feet high. The inclofed fpace was loofely paved; and, atone end of it, was placed the obeliflc or pyramid, called by the natives henananoo , which was an £ in a con¬ dition equally ruinous, with two poles inclining towards each other at one corner, where fame plantains were placed on a board, fixed at the height of about half a dozen feet. This# was called hy the i (landers herairemy ; and they fa id, that the fruit was an offering to their deity* Before the henanamo were fcveral pieces of wood, carv¬ ed into fome refemhlancc of human figures. There was alfo a (tone near two feet in height covered with cloth. Adjoining to this, on the ontfide of the moral , was a fmall fhed, which they denominated hareepahoo; and before it there was a grave, where the remains of a woman had. been depofited. There was a houfe or filed, called hemanaa 3 on the farther fide of the area of the moral : it was about forty feet in length, ten or eleven feet in height, and ten in breadth in the middle, but narrower at each end; though confiderablv longer, it was lower than their common habita¬ tions. Oppofite the entrance into this houfe, flood two images near three feet high, cut out of one Ifwom/ Tqya/jc, Octavo Edztiotv PACIFIC OCEAN. Hi one piece of wood, with pedeftals: they were faid to foe Eatooa no Vekema, or reprefentations of goddeffes, and were not. very indifferent either in point of execution.jqrdelign. On the head of one of them was a cylindricalcap, not unlike the fo-ead-drefs at Qtafoeife, called tomou; and on that of the other,latfaf\^*WbWBiet, fomewhat refexn- bling thole of'the antievtt ’warriors ; and both of them had pieces of cloth fafteried about the loins, and hanging down a conliderahle way. There was alfo, at the fide of each, a piece of carved wood, with clotlv hung on it. Before the pc- dcftals lay a quantity of fern, which had been placed there at different times. In the middle of the houfe, and before the images j uft described, was an oblong fipace, inclofed by an edging of ftone, and covered with flireds of cloth: this was the grave of feven chiefs, and was called heneene. Our gentlemen had already met with fo many infiances of refemblance, between the moral they were now vififing, and th®fe of the ifiands they had lately quitted, that they entertained little doubt in their minds, that the fimiiarity exifted alfo, in the rites here folemnized, and particularly in the horrid oblation of human viftims. Their fufpicions were loon confirmed; for, on one fide of the entrance into the hemannaa, they obferved a fmall fquare place,*and another ftill imaller aid on alking what thefe were, they were inform¬ ed by their conductor, that in one of them was • • . ' interred A VOYAGE TO T*HE interred a man who had been facrificed; and in the other, a hog, which had alfo been offered up to the deity. At no great diftance from thefe, were three other fquare inclofed places, with two‘ pieces of carved wood at each of them, and a heap of fern upon them. Thefe were the graves of three chiefs; and before them was an inclofed fpace, of an oblong figure, called Tangata- taboo by our gentlemens’ guide, who declared to them, that three human facrifices, one at the funeral of each chief, had been there buried. Every appearance induced the Commodore to believe, that this inhuman practice was very ge¬ neral here. The ifland feemed to abound with fiich places of facrifice as this, at which he was now prefent, and which was probably one of the srio'ft inconfiderable of them; being much lefs bonfpicuous than fome others which we had ob¬ served as we failed along the coaft, and partial- larly than that on the oppofite fide of the piece of water running through this valley; the white py¬ ramid of which, in all probability, derived its colour folely from the confecrated cloth put over it. In many fpots within this burying-ground, were planted trees of the mo'rinda cilnfolia , and cordia JcbeJlina , befides feveral plants of the elec* with the leaves of which the hemanaa was'thatched. The journey of our gentlemen to and from this moraiy lay through the plantations. Moft of the ground was perfectly flat, with ditches in¬ terfering PACIFIC OCEAN. £43 terfe&ing different parts* and roads that Teemed to have been raifed to feme height by art. 'The Intervening fpaces, in general* were planted with taro t which grew with great vigour. There were feverai fpots where the cloth-mulberry was plant¬ ed* in regular rows; this alfo grew vigorously. The cocoa-trees were In a lefs thriving condition* and were all low; but the plantain-trees, though not large* made a pretty good appearance. Upon the whole* the trees that are mofi numerous around this village, are the coriia fehajlina . The greateft part of it is fituate near the beach, and confifts of upwards of Gxty houfes there; but there may perhaps be near forty more fc altered about, towards the moral * 1 I After the Commodore* and Meffrs. Anderfon. and Webber, had carefully examined whatever was worthy of notice about the moral , and the latter had taken drawings of it* and of the fur¬ rounding country, they returned by a different route. They found a multitude of people col¬ lected at the beach, and a brilk trade for fowls* pigs, and vegetables, going on there* with the grealefi order and decorum. At noon, Captaiii Cook went on board to dinner, and then fent Mr. King to take the command of the party on fhore. During the afternoon he landed again, accompanied fay Captain Clerke, intending to make another excurfion up the country: but* before he could execute this defign, the day was to# * 44 * A VOYAGE TO Till too far advanced; he therefore relinquifhed his intention for the prefent, and no other opportu¬ nity afterwards occurred. Towards fun-fet, he and his people returned on board, after having procured, in the courfe of this day, nine tons of water, and (principally by exchanging nails and pieces of iron) feventy or eighty pigs, fome fowls, plantains, potatoes, and taro roots. In this com¬ mercial intercourfe, the iflanders deferved our bed commendations, making no attempts to cheat us, either along-fide our flhips, or on fhore. Some of them, indeed, as we have already related, betrayed at fir it a pilfering difpofition; or, per¬ haps, they imagined that they had a right to all they could lay their hands upon: but they quick¬ ly defifted from a conduct, which, we convinced them, could not be perfevered in with impunity* Among the various articles which they brought to baiter this day, we were particularly {truck with a fort of cloak and cap, which, even in more polifhed countries, might be efleemecl elegant. Thefe cloaks are nearly of the fhape and (ize of the fhort ones worn by the men in Spain, and by the women in England, tied loofely before, and reaching to the middle of the back. The ground of them is a net-work, with the mod beautiful red and yellow feathers fo clofely fixed upon it, that the furface, both in point of fmooth- nefs.and gloffinefs, xefcmbles the richeft velvet. The method of varying the mixture is very dif¬ ferent; PACIFIC OCEAN. 145 ferent; fome of them having triangular (paces of yellow and red alternately; others, a fort of crefcent; while fome were entirely red, except that they had a broad yellow border. The bril¬ liant colours of the feathers, in thofe cloaks that were new, had a very fine effed:. The natives, at firft, refufed to part with one of thefe cloaks for any thing that we offered in exchange, de¬ manding no lefs a price than one of our mufquets. They afterwards, however, fuffered us to pur- chafe fome of them for very large nails. Thpfe of the bed fort were fcarce ; and it is probable, that they are ufed only on particular occafions. The caps are made in the form of a helmet, with the middle part, or creft, frequently of a hand’s breadth. They fit very clofe upon the head, and have notches to admit the ears. They confift of twigs and ofiers, covered with a net¬ work, into which feathers are wrought, as upon the cloaks, but fomewhat clofer, and lefs diver- fified; the major part being red, with fome yel¬ low, green, or black ftripes, on the fides. Thefe caps, in all probability, complete the drefs, with the cloaks; for the iflanders appeared, fome- times, in both together. We could not conje&ure from whence they obtained fuch a quantity of thefe beautiful fea¬ thers; but we foon procured intelligence refpeQ;- ing one fort; for they afterwards brought for fale great numbers of {kins of a fmall red fpecies of Vol. II.— n° 8 . L bird,?. A VOYAGE T® THE birds, frequently tied up in bunches of twenty or upwards, or having a wooden {kewer run through them. At firft, thofe that were purchafed, con- fifted only of the fkinfrom behind the wings for¬ ward ; but we afterwards obtained many with the hind part, including the feet and tail. The for¬ mer inftantly fuggefted to us the origin of the, fable of the birds of paradife being deftitute of legs; and fufficiently explained that particular. The reafon affigned by the inhabitants of Atooi for the cuftom of cutting off the feet of thefe birds, is, that by this praflice they can preferve them the more eafily, without lofing any part which they confider as valuable. The red-bird of this ifland was, according to Mr. Anderfon, afpecies of merops y about as large as a fparrow, its colour was a beautiful fcarlet, with the tail and wings black; and it had an arched bill, twice as long as the head, which, with the feet, was of a reddifh hue. The con¬ tents of the heads were taken out, as in the birds of paradife; but we did not rind, that they prac- tifed any other mode of preferving them, than fimple drying; for the fkins, though they were moift, had neither a fmcll nor tafte that could give any reafon for fufpecling the ufe of anti-pu- trefeent fubftances. On Thurfday the 22d, we had almofb conti¬ nual rain for the whole morning. The wind was at fouth-eaft, fouth-fouth-eaft, and fouth; and 2 the PACIFIC OCEAN# 147 the furf broke fo high upon the fhore, that our boats were prevented from landing. The Refo- lution was not in a very fecure fituation, there being breakers within the length of little more than two cables from her {tern. The natives, notwithftanding the furf, ventured out in their canoes, bringing off to our (hips, hogs and ve¬ getables, which they exchanged, as before, for our commodities. One of their number, who offered fome fifh-hooks for fale, was obferved to have a very fmall parcel, fattened to the firing of one of them, which he carefully feparated, and referved for himfelf, when he difpofed of the hook. When afked what it was, he pointed to his belly, and intimated fomething of its being dead ; faying, at the fame time, that it was bad. He was requefted to open the parcel, which he did with great reluctance; and we found, that it contained a fmall thin piece of flefh, which had, to all appearance, been dried, but was at prefent wet with fait water. Imagining that it might be human flefh, we put the queftion to the producer of it, who anfwered, that the flefh was part of a man. Another of the iflanders, who flood near him, was then afked, whether it was a cuftom among them to eat their enemies who had been flain in battle; and he immediately replied in the affirmative. In the afternoon, we had fome intervals of fair weather. The wind then changed to the eaft L 2 and A VOYAGE TO THE 148 and north-eaft; but, towards the evening, it veered back again to louth-fouth-eaft. The rain alfo returning, continued the whole night, but was not accompanied with much wind. At feven the next morning, a north-eafterly breeze fpring- ing up, Captain Cook ordered the anchors of his fhip to be taken up, with a view of removing her further out. As foon as the laft anchor was up, the wind, veering to the eaft, rendered it neceflary to make all the fail he could, for the purpofe of clearing the Shore; fo that, before he had good fea-room, he was driven confiderably to leeward. He endeavoured to regain the road; but having a ftrong current againfthim, and very little wind, he could not accomplish that defign. He therefore difpatched Meffrs. King and Wil- liamfon afhore, with three boats, to procure water and refreshments, fending, at the fame time, an order to Captain Clerke, to put to fea after him, if he Should find that the Refolution was unable to recover the road. The Com modore having hopes of 'finding a road, or perhaps a harbour, at the weft end of the ifland, was the lefs anxious about regaining his former ftation. But as he had lent the boats thither, he kept as much as polfible to wind¬ ward; notwithftanding which, at noon, our fhip was three leagues to leeward. As we approached the weft end, we found that the coaft rounded gradually to the north-eaft, without forming a cove. PACIFIC OCEAN* 149 cove, or creek, wherein a veffel might be fhel- tered from the violence of the fwell, which, roll¬ ing in from the northward, broke againft the fhore in an amazing furf: all hopes, therefore, of meeting with a harbour here, foon vanifhed. Many of the natives, in their canoes, followed us as we flood out to fea, bartering various arti¬ cles. As we were extremely unwilling, notwith- Handing the fufpicious circumftance of the pre¬ ceding day, to believe that thefe people were cannibals, we now made fome further enquiries on this fubjed. A fmall inftrument of wood, befet with fhark’s teeth, had been purchafed; which, as it refembled the faw or knife made ufe of by the favages of New Zealand to diffed the bodies of their enemies, was fufpeded by us to be employed here for the fame purpofe. One of the iflanders being queftioned on this point, in¬ formed us, that the inftrument above-mentioned ferved the purpofe of cutting out the flefhy part of the belly, when any perfon was flain. This explained and confirmed the circumftance before related, of the man’s pointing to his belly. The native, however, from whom we rtow received this intelligence, being afked whether fibs counij trymen eat the part thus cut out, ftrongly denied it; but, when the queftion was repeated, he fhewed fome degree of apprehenfion, and fwam off to his canoe. An elderly man, who fat fore- moft in the canoe, was then afked whether they L 3 cat 15o A VOYAGE TO THE eat the flefh; and he anfwered in the affirmative. The queftion being put to him a fecond time* he again affirmed the fa£t; adding, that it was favoury food. The boats returned about feven o’clock in the evening, with a few hogs, fome plantains and roots, and two tuns of water. Mr. King report¬ ed to the Commodore, that the iflanders were very numerous at the watering-place, and had brought great numbers of hogs to barter ; but our people had not commodities with them ade¬ quate to the purchafe of them all. He alfo men¬ tioned, that the furf had run fo very high, that it was with extreme difficulty our men landed, and afterwards got back into the boats. On Saturday the 24th, at day-break, we found that our ffiip had been carried by the currents to the north-weft and north ; fo that the weftern ex¬ tremity of Atooi bore eaft, at the diftanceof one league. A northerly breeze fprungup foon after, and Captain Cook expecting that this would bring the Difcovery to fea, fleered for Oneeheow, a. neighbouring ifland, which then bore fouth weft, with a view of anchoring there. He continued to fleer for it till paft eleven, at which time he was at the diftance of about fix miles from it. But not feeing the Difcovery, he was apprehen- five left fome ill confequence might arife from our feparating fo far; he therefore relinquished the defign of vifiting Oneeheow for the prefent, and , PACIFIC OCEAN *51 and flood back to Atooi, intending to caft anchor again in the road, in order to complete our {ap¬ ply of water. At two o’clock, the northerly wind was fucceeded by calms and variable light airs, which continued till eleven at night. We ftretched to the fouth-eaft, till early in the morn¬ ing of the 25th, when we tacked and flood in for Atooi road; and, not long after, we were joined by the Difcovery. We were utterly unable to regain the road; and, by the morning of the 29th, the currents had carried us to the weft- ward, within nine or ten miles of Oneeheow. Weary with plying fo unfuccefsfully, Captain Cook laid afide all thoughts of returning to Atooi and xefumed his intention of paying a vifit to Oneeheov/. With this view, he difpatched the mailer in a boat, to found along the coaft, and fearch for a landing-place, and afterwards for frdh water. In the mean time, the fhips follow¬ ed under an eafy fail. The matter, at his re¬ turn, reported, that there was tolerable anchorage all along the coaft ; and that he had landed in one place, bur. could not find any frefh water. Captain Cook being informed by fome of the natives, who had come off to the fhips, thatfrelh water might be obtained at a village which we faw at a little diftance, run down, and caft an¬ chor before it, about fix furlongs from the fhore, the depth of water being twenty-fix fathoms. The Difcovery anchored at a greater diftance L 4 from A VOYAGE TO THE from the fhore, in twenty-three fathoms. The fouth-eaftcrn point of Oneehecw bore fouth, 65° eaft, about one league diftant; and another ifland. which we had difcovered the preceding night, named Tahoora, bore fouth, 6i° weft, at the dif- tance of feven leagues. Before we anchored, fe- veral canoes had come off to us, bringing pota¬ toes, yams, and fmall pigs, befides mats. The people who were in them refembled in their per- fons the inhabitants of Atooi; and, like them, were acquainted with the ufe of iron, which they afited for by the name of toe and hamaite , readily parting with all their commodities for pieces of this metal. Some more canoes foon reached our fhips, after they had come to anchor; but the iflanders who were in thefe had apparently no other object; than to make us a formal vifit. Many of them came on board, and crouched down upon the deck; nor did they quit that humble pofture, till they were requefted to rife. Several women, whom they had brought with them, remained along-fide in the canoes, behav¬ ing with much lefs modefty than the females of Atooi; and, at intervals, they all joined in a fong, which, though not very melodious, was performed in the exactcft concert, by beating time upon their breafts with their hands. The men who had come on board did not continue long with us; and before their departure, fome of them PACIFIC OCEAN* them defired permiffion to lay down locks of their hair on the deck. The curious enquiry, whether thefe iflanders were cannibals, was this day renewed; and the fubje6idid not arife from any queftions put by us, but from a circumftance that feemed to remove all doubt. One of the natives, who wifhed to get in at the gun-room port, was refufed; and he then afked, whether we fhould kill and eat him, if he fhould come in? accompanying this queltion with fignsfo expreffive, that we did not entertain a doubt with refpe£t to his meaning. We had now an opportunity of retorting the queftion as to this practice; and a man behind the other, in the canoe, inftantly replied, that, if we were killed on fhore, they would not fcruple to eat us: not that he meant they would deftroy us for that purpofe, but that their devouring us would be the confequence of our being at effmity with them. Mr. Gore was fent in the afternoon, with three armed boats, in fearch of the moft commodious landing-place; being alfo directed to look for frefh water when he fhould get on fhore. He returned in the evening, and reported to Captain Cook, that he had landed at the village above- mentioned, and had been conducted to a well about half a mile up the country; but that the water which it contained was in too fmall a quan- iitv for our purpofe, and the road that led to it ; was *54 A VOYAGE TO THI was extremely bad. The next day Mr. Gore was fent afhore again, with a t^uard, and a party to trade with the inhabitants for refrefhments. The Commodore’s intention was to have followed foon afterwards; and he went from the fhip with that defign. But the furf had fo greatly increafed by this time, that he was apprehenfivc, if he got afhore, he fhould not be able to make his way back again. This circumftance really happened to our people who had landed with Mr. Gore; for the communication between them and the fhips, by our own boats, was quickly flopped. They made a fignal, in the evening, for the boats, which were accordingly fent; and, in a fhort time afterwards, returned with fome good fait and a few yams. A confiderable quantity of both thefe articles had been obtained in the courfe of the day; but the furf was fo exceedingly high, that the greateft part of both had been loft in bringing them off to the boats. The officer and twenty men, not venturing to run the rifque of coming off, remained all night on fhore; by which unfor¬ tunate circumftance, the very thing happened which Captain Cook, as we have already related, fo eagerly wifhed to prevent, and imagined he had effectually guarded againft. The violence of the furf did not deter the na¬ tives from coming off : n canoes to our fhips. They brought with them fome refrefhments, for which we gave them, in exchange, fome nails, and PACIFIC OCEAN* f 55 and pieces of iron hoops; and we diftributed among the women in the canoes, many pieces of ribbon, and fome buttons, as bracelets. Some of the men had reprefentations of human figures punctured upon their breafts, and one of them had a lizard reprefented. Thefe vifitants ac¬ quainted us, that there was no chief of this ifland, but that it was fubjeft to one of the chiefs of Atooi, whofe name wks Teneooneoo. Among other articles which they now brought off to us, was a fmall drimy that had a great refemblance to thole of Otaheite. Between ten and eleven o’clock at night, the wind became foutherly, and the Iky feemed to in¬ dicate an approaching ftorm. In confequece of thefe threatening appearances. Captain Cook, thinking that we were rather too near the fhore* caufed the anchors to be taken up; and the fhips being carried into forty-two fathoms water, came to again in that more fecure ftation. This, how¬ ever, proved an unneceffary precaution ; for the wind, not long after, veering to north-north-eafi, blew a frelh gale, with fqualls, and violent lliowcrs of rain. This weather continued for the whole fucceeding day, during which the fea ran fo high, that all communication with our party on (here was totally inter* epted, and the iflanders them- felves would not venture out to the fhips in their canoes. Towards the evening, the Commodore fent the Mailer in a boat to the fouth-eaft point of A VOYAGE TO THE 156 of the ifland, to try whether he could land in that quarter. He returned with a favourable re¬ port ; but it was now too late to fend for our party till the following morning: fo that they were obliged to ftay another night on Ihore. On the appearance of day-light, a boat was difpatched to the fouth-eaft point, with orders to Lieutenant Gore, that, if he could not embark his people from the fpot where they at prefent were, he fhouid march them up to the point. The boat be¬ ing. prevented from getting to the beach, one of the crew fwam to fhore, and communicated the inftruftions. After the boat had returned,Captain Cook went himlelf with the launch and pinnace up to the point, in order to bring off our party from the land. He took with him three goats, one of them a male, and the others female; a youilg boar and fow of the Englilh breed; and alfo the feeds of onions, pumpkins and melons. He landed, with great eafe, under the weft ftde of the point, where he found his party, in com¬ pany with forne of the natives. To one of thefe, who affumed fome degree of authority over the reft, he gave the goats, pigs, and feeds. He in¬ tended to have left thefe ufeful prefents at Atooi, if we had not been fo unexpqdedly driven from that ifland. ' While our people were employed in filling fome water-calks, from a little ftream which the late rains had cccafioned, Captain Cook made a Ihort PACIFIC OCEAN. *57 fiiortexcurfion into the country, accompanied by the iflander above-mentioned, and followed by two others who carried the two pigs. When they had arrived upon a rifing ground, the Captain Hopped to look around him, and immediately obferved a woman, on the oppofite fide of the valley.in which he had landed, calling out to her countrymen who attended him. Upon this the man who afted as chief began to mutter fomething as if he was praying; and the two bearers of the pigs continued walking round the Captain all the time, making about a dozen circuits before the other had made an end of his oraifon. This firange ceremony being performed, they pro¬ ceeded on their walk, and met people coming from all quarters, who, upon being called to by the Captain’s attendants, fell proftrate on their faces, till he was out of fight. The ground over which he pafled, though it was uncultivated and very ftony, was covered with plants and fhrubs, fome of which perfumed the air with the molt delicious fragrance Our party who 1 d been detained fo long on fhore, found, in thoie parts of the ifiand which they had traverfed, feveral fait ponds, fome of which had a fmall quantity of water remaining, but others had none. They faw no appearance of a running fiream; and though, in fome fmall wells which they met with, the frefli water was pretty~good, it feemed to be fcarce. The houfes of A VOYAGE TO THE * 5 8 of the natives were thinly fcattered about; and it was fuppofed, that there were not more than five hundred perfons in the whole ifland. The me¬ thod of living among thefe people was decent and cleanly. No inftance was cbferved of the men and women eating together; and the latter feemed in general to be affociated in companies by them- felves. The oily nuts of the dooe dooe&Ye burned by thefe iflanders for lights during the night; and they drefs their hogs by baking them in ovens* fplitting the carcafes through the whole lengths Our people met with a fufficient proof of the ex~ iftence of the taboo among them; for one woman was employed in feeding another who was under that interdiction. Several other myfterious cere¬ monies were alfo obferved; one of which was per¬ formed by a woman, who threw a pig into the furf, and drowned it, and then tied up a bundle of wood, which fhe difpofed of in the like man¬ ner. The lame female, at another time, beat a man’s fhoulders with a flick, after he had feated himfelf for that purpofe. An extraordinary ve¬ neration learned to be paid here to owls, which they keep very tame. It appeared to be a pretty general practice among them, to pull out one of their teeth ; and when they were allied the reafon of this remarkable cuilom, the only anfwer they gave was, that it was teeha; which was alfo the reafon affigned by them forgiving a lock of their hair. After PACIFIC OCEAN. After our water-cafks had been filled, and fome roots, fait, and falted fifh, had been purchafed from the natives, Captain Cook returned on board with all his people, intending to make another vifit to the ifland the next day. But, about feveit in the evening, the anchor of the Refolutiorx ftarted, fo that flie drove off the bank. By this accident, we found ourfelves, at day break the next morning, which was the 2d of February, nine miles to the leeward of our lafl Ration; and the Captain forcfeeing that it would require more time to regain it than he chofe to employ, made Fie fignal for the Dif:overy to weigh anchor and join us. This junQion was effected about noon; and both iliips immediately directed their courfe to the northward, in profecution of their voyage. Thus, after we had fpent more time in the neigh¬ bourhood of thefe iflands than was neceffary to have anfwered all our purpofes, we were obliged to quit them before wc had completed our flock of water, or procured from them fuch a plentiful fupply of refrefhments as the natives were both able and willing to have furniihed us with. Our fhip, however, obtained from them provisions that Jafted at leaft three wrecks; and Captain Clerke, more fortunate than we were, acquired fuch a quantity of vegetables, as fufficed the Difi- covery’s people upwards of two months. The obfervalions which Captain Cook was ena¬ bled to make on thefe iflands, combined with thofe i6q A VOYAGE TO THE thofe of Mr. Anderfon, whofe abilities and affi- duity rendered him a very ufeful affiftant on fucli occafions, will fupply materials for the following chapter. , CHAP. XII. Situation of the Iflands now difcovered by us—The Name of Sandwich Iflands given to the whole Group-—Aiooiparticularly defcribed—Its Soil — Climate—Vegetable Produce — Birds — Ffh — Do- mejlic Animals—The Perfons and Difpojition of the Natives—-Eftimate of their Number—Their Drefs and Ornaments — Houfes—Food—Mode of Cookery — Diverfons—Mujical Inflruments — Manufactures — Tools—Their Acquaintance with Iron accounted for—Their Canoes defcribed— Agriculture—Account of one of their Chiefs > who vifted Captain Clerke—Their Weapons—Affinity between their Manners and thofe of the Society and Friendly Iflanders—Their Language — Ad¬ vantageous Situation of the Sandwich {files . T HE iflands in the Pacific Ocean, which have been difcovered in the courfe of our late voyages, have been generally found fituate in groups; the (ingle intermediate ifles, hitherto met PACIFIC OCEAN. 161 met with, being few in proportion to the reft j though, in all probability, there are many more of them yet (Lnkno.wn, which ferve as gradations or fteps between the feveral clufters. Of what number this new-difcovered Archipelago is com- pofed, muft be left to the decilion of future navi¬ gators. We obferved five of them, whofe names are Woahoo, Atooi, Oneeheow, Oreehoua, and Tahoora. The laft of thefe is a fmall elevated ifland, at the diftance of four or five leagues from, the fouth-eaft point of Oneeheow. We were in¬ formed, that it abounds with birds, which are its foie inhabitants. We alfo gained fome intelli¬ gence with regard to the exiftence of a low unin¬ habited ifland in the neighbourhood, named Tam- mata-pappa. Befides thefe fix, we were told that there were fome other iflands both to the eaftward and weftward. Captain Cook diftin- guilhed the whole group by the name of the Sand¬ wich Iflands, in honour of the Earl of Sandwich. Thofe which we faw are fituated between the la¬ titude of 2i° 30', and 22 0 15' north, and between the longitude of 199 0 20', and 201 ° 30 ', eaft. With refpedt to Woahoo, the moft eafterly of thefe iflands feen by us, we could get no other information, but that it is high land, and is in¬ habited. Oneeheow, concerning which fome particulars have been already mentioned, lies, (even leagues to the weftward of our anchoring-place at Atobi, V,ol. II,— n° 9. M and 16 2 a Voyage to the and does not exceed fifteen leagues in circum¬ ference. Yams are its principal vegetable pro¬ duction. We procured fome fait here, called by the natives patai, which is produced in fait ponds. With it they cure both fifh and pork ; and fome fait fifh, which we purchafed from them, were extremely good, and kept very well. This ifland is chiefly low land, exeept the part oppofite Atooi, which rifes immediately from the fea to a con- fiderable height; as doesalfo its fouth-eaft point, which'terminates in a round hill. Of Oreehoua we know no other particulars than that it is an elevated ifland, of fmall extent, lying clofe to the north fide of Oneeheow. Atooi, which is the largeft of thofe we faw, being the principal fcene of our operations, we fhalhnow proceed to lay before our readers fuch. information as we were able to colled! concerning it. • From what we obferved of it, it is, at leaft, ten leagues in length from eaft to weft; from whence its circumference may nearly be guefled, though it appears to be much broader at the eaft than at the weft point. The road, or anchoring- place, which our vellels occupied, is on the fouth- weft fide of the ifland, about two leagues from the weft end, before a village named Wymoa. As far as we founded, we found the bank free from rocks; except to the eaftward of the village, where there projects a fhoal, on which are fome rocks and breakers. This road is fomewhat ex- poled PACIFIC OCEAN. 163- pofed to the trade wind; notwithftanding which defect, it is far from being a bad ftation, and greatly fuperior to thofe which neceffity conti¬ nually obliges fhips to ufe, ini countries where the winds are not only more variable, but more boifterous ; as at Madeira, Teneriffe, the Azores, &c. The landing too is not fo difficult as at moft of thofe places; and, unlefs in very bad weather is always practicable. The water in the neigh¬ bourhood is excellent, and may be conveyed with eafe to the boats. But no wood can be cut at any convenient diftance, unlefs the iflanders could be prevailed upon to part with the few etooa trees (for that is the name they give to the cordia febaftina ) that grow about their villages, or a fpe- cies called dooe dooe, which grows farther up the country. The land does not in the leaft refemble, in its general appearance, any of the iflands we have vifited within the tropic of Capricorn ; if we ex¬ cept its hills near the centre, which are high, but Hope gradually towards the fea, or lower lands. Though it prefents not to the view the delightful borders of Otaheite, or the luxuriant plains of Tongataboo, covered with trees, which at once afford a fhelter from the fcorching rays of the fun, a beautiful profped to the eye, and food for the natives; yet its poffeffing a greater portion of gently riling land, renders it, in tpme degree, fuperior to the above-mentioned favouriteiflands, M z as A VOYAGE TO THE 164 as being more capable of improvement. The height of the land within, and the number of clouds which we faw, during the whole time of dlir continuance, hanging over it, and not unfre- quently on the other parts, feem to indicate that there is a fufficient fupply of water, and that there are fome running ftreams which we had not an opportunity of feeing, particularly in the deep vallies, at the entrance of which the villages are, in general, fituated. The ground,from the wooded part to the fea, is covered with an excellent kind of grafs, |about two feet in height, which fome- times grows in tufts, and appeared capable of being converted into abundant crops of fine hay. But on this extenfive fpace not even a fhrub grows naturally. In the narrow valley leading to the moral , the foil is of a dark-brown colour, rather loofe; but, on the high ground, it is of a reddilh brown, more ftiff and clayey. It is probably the fame all over the cultivated parts; for what adhered to mod of the potatoes that we purchafed, which, doubtlefs, came from very different fpots, was ot this fort. Its quality, however, may be better eftimated from its produftions, than from its ap¬ pearance. For the vale, or moift ground, pro¬ duces taro , much larger than any we had ever feen ; and the more elevated ground furnifhes fweet potatoes, that feldom weigh lefs than two or three PACIFIC OCEAN. 165 three pounds, and frequently weigh ten, and fame- times a dozen or fourteen pounds. Were we to judge of the climate from our ex¬ perience, it might be faid to be very variable; for, according to the general opinion, it was, at this time, the feafon of the year when the weather is fuppofed to be moft fettled, the fun being at his greateft annual diftance. The heat was now very moderate; and few of thofe inconveniences to which many countries lying within the tropics are fubjeft, either from heat or moifture, feem to be experienced here. Nor did we find any dews of confequence ; a circumftance which may partly be accounted for, by the lower part of the coun¬ try being destitute of trees. The rock that conftitutes thefides of the valley, is a dark-grey ponderous ftone; but honey¬ combed, with feme fpots of a rufty colour, and fome very minute Ihining particles interfperfed. It is of an immenfe depth, and feems to be di¬ vided into Jirata, though nothing is interpofed ; for the large pieces always broke off to a deter¬ minate thicknefs, and did not appear to have ad¬ hered to thofe that were below them. Other hones are, in all probability, much more various than in the fouthern iflands. For, during: the fhorr time we remained here, befides the lapis lydius, we found a fpecies of cream-coloured whetftone, fometimes variegated with whiter or blacker veins, like marble; and common writing fkte, as well M3 as 166 A VOYAGE TO THE as fome of a 'coarfer fort; and the natives brought us fome pieces of a coarfer whitifh pumice ftone. ' We all procured a brown fort of hamatites, which, from its being ftrongly attracted by the magnet, difcovered the quantity of metal it contained. What we faw of this was cut artificially, as were alfo the flates and whetftones. Befides the vegetables purchafed by us as re- frelhments, among which were, at leaft, five or fix varieties of plantains, the ifland produces bread fruit: this, however, feems to be fcarce, as we only faw one tree of that fpecies. There are alfo a few cocoa-palms; fome yams; the kappe of the Friendly Iflands, or Virginian arum', the etooa tree, and odoriferous gardenia , or cape jaf- mine. We met with feveral trees of the dooe dooe, that bear the oily nuts, which are ftuck upon a kind of fkewer, and made ufe o$ as candles. Our people faw them ufed in the fame manner at Oneeheow. We were not on fhore at Atooi ex¬ cept in the day time, and then we obferved the iflanders wearing thefe nuts, hung on firings, round their necks. There is a fpecies of ftda, or Indian mallow; alfo the morinda citrifolia, which is here called none ; a fpecies of convolvulus ; the ava, or intoxicating pepper, befides great quan¬ tities of gourds. Thefe laft grow to a very large fize, and are of a remarkable variety oflhapes, which are, perhaps, the effed of art. Upon the dry fand, about the village, grew a plant, that had 3 never PACIFIC OCEAN. 167 never been feen by us in tbis ocean, of the fize of a common thiftle,and prickly; but bearing a fine flower, greatly refembling a white poppy. The fearlet birds, which were brought forfale, were never met with alive ; but we faw one fmall one, about the fize of canary bird,' of a deep erimfon colour. ; W e alfo faw a large owl, two brown hawks, or kites, and a wild duck. We heard from the natives the names of fome other birds; among which were the-oioo, or blueifh heron, and the torata, a. fort of whimbrel. It is probable that the fpecies of birds are numerous, if we may judge by the quantity of fine yellow, green, and fmall, velvet-like, blackifh feathers ufed upon the cloaks, and other ornaments, worn by thefe people. Fifh, and other productions of the fea, were, to appearance, not various; as befidts the fmall mackarel, we only faw common mullets; a fpe¬ cies of a chalky colour; a fmall browniftv rock- filh, adorned with blue fpots; a turtle, which' was penned up in a pond ; and three or four forts of filh falted. The few fhell-fifh feen by us were chiefly converted into ornaments, though they were deftitute of the recommendation either of beauty or novelty. The only tame or domeftic animals that we found here were hogs, dogs, and fowls, which were all of the fame kind that we met with at the iflands of the South Pacific. There were alfo M 4 fmall A VOYAGE TO THE 168 {mall lizards; and fome rats, refembling thofc of every ifland which we had hitherto vifited. The inhabitants of Atooi are of the middle fize, and, in general, ftoutly made. They are peither remarkable for a beautiful fhape, nor for ftriking features. Their vifage, particularly that of the women, is fometimes round, but others have it long; nor can it juftly be faid, that they are diftinguilhed, as a nation., by any general call of countenance. Their complexion is nearly of a nut brown; but fome individuals are of a darker hue. We have already mentioned the women as being little more delicate than the men in their formation ; and we may add, that, with few ex¬ ceptions, they have little claim to thofe peculiari¬ ties that diftinguifla the fex in mpft other parts of the world. There is, indeed, a very remarkable equality in the fize, colour and figure, of the na¬ tives of both fexes : upon the whole, however, they are far from being ugly, and have, to all ap¬ pearance, few natural deformities of any kind, Their fkins is not very foft, nor fhining; but their eyes and teeth are, for the moil part, pretty good, Their hair, in general, is ftraight; and though its natural colour is ufually black, they ftain it, as at the Friendly and other iflands. We perceived but few inftances of corpulence, and thefe more frequently among the women than the men; but it was principally among the latter, that perfonal tfcfeds were obferved; though, if any of them can lay PACIFIC OCEAN. l6p lay claim to a fhare of beauty, it appeared to be molt confpicuous amongft the young men. They are a&ive, vigorous, and moft expert fwimmers; leaving their canoes upon the moft frivolous occafion, diving under them, and fwim- ming to others, though at a confiderable dif- tancfc. We have frequently ieen women, with infants at the breaft, when the furf was fo high as to prevent their landing in the canoes, leap overboard, and fwim to the fhore, without en¬ dangering their little ones. They appear to be of a frank, chearful difpo- fition ; and are equally free from the fickle levity which characterizes the inhabitants of Otaheite, and the fedate call which is oblervable among many of thofe of Tongataboo. They feem to cultivate a fociable intercourfe with each other; and except the propenfity to theiving, which is, as it were, innate in moft of the people we have 1 vifited in thefe feas, they were extremely friendly to us. And it does no fmall credit to their len- fibility, without flattering ourfelves, that when they faw the different articles of our European ma¬ nufacture, they could not refrain from exprefling their aftonifhment, by a mixture of joy and con¬ cern, that feemed to apply the cafe as a leffon of humility to themfelves; and, on every occafion, they appeared to have a proper confcioufnefs of their own inferiority; a behaviour that equally exempts their national cfiaraCter from the ridicu¬ lous A VOYAGE TO THE I70 Jous pride of the more polifhed Japanefe, an,d of the ruder native of Greenland. It was pleafing to obferve with what affection the women managed their infants,, and with what alacrity the men con¬ tributed their affiftance in fuch a tender office; thus diftinguifhing themfelves from thofe faVages, who confider a wife and child as things rathe^ne- ceffary, than defirabie, or worthy of their re¬ gard and efteem. , - From the numbers that we faw affembled at 'V every village, as we coafted along, it may be con¬ jectured, that the inhabitants of this iiland are pretty numerous. Including theftraggling houles, there might perhaps be, in the whole ifiand, fixty fuch villages as that near which our (hips an¬ chored ; and if we allow five perfons to each houfe, there would be, in every village, five hun¬ dred ; or thirty thoufand upon the ifland. This number is by no means exaggerated, for there were fometimes three thoufand people, at leaft, collefted upon the beach ; when it could not be fuppofed, that above a tenth part of the natives were prcfent. The ordinary drefs of both fexes has been al¬ ready defcribed. The women have often much larger pieces of cloth wrapped about them, ex¬ tending from juft below the breafts to the hams, and fometimes lower ; and feveral were obferved with pieces thrown loofely over their fhoulders, which covered the greateft part of the body; hut the PACIFIC OCEAN. I 7 I thechildren, when very young, are entirely naked. They wear nothing upon the head; but the hair, both of men and women, is cut in various forms ; and the general fafhion, particularly among the latter, is to have it fhort behind, and long before. The men frequently had it cut on each fide in fuch a manner, that the remaining part fomewhat refembled the creftof their caps orhelmets, before mentioned. Both fexes, however, feemed to be very carelefs about the hair, and had no combs, nor any thing of the kind to drefs it with. The men fometimes twift it into a number of feparate parcels, like the tails of a wig, each about as thick as a linger; though mod of thele, which are fo long as to reach far down the back, are artifici¬ ally fixed upon the head, over their own hair. Contrary to the general practife of mod of the iflands of the Pacific Ocean, the people of the Sandwich Ifles have nojt their ears perforated, nor do they wear any ornaments in them. Both men and women, however, adorn themfelves with necklaces compefed of bunches of finall black cord, like our hat-dring, often above a hundred¬ fold ; entirely refembling thofe we faw worn at Wateeoo, except that, indead of the two little balls on the middle before, they fix a fmall piece of wood, done, or (hell, about two inches in length, with a broad hook, well polilhed. They have alfo necklaces of many drings of very fmalUhells, or of the dried flowers of the Indian mallow; and they A VOYAGE TO THE IJl they fometimes hang round their necks a fmall human figure of bone, about the length of three inches. The women likewife wear bracelets of a fingle (hell, pieces of black wood, with bits of ivory interfperfed, and neatly polifhed, fattened together by a firing drawn clofely through them; or others of hogs-teeth, placed parallel to each other, with the concave part outward, and the points cut off; fome of which, formed only of large boar’s tulks, are very elegant. The men fometimes fix on their heads plumes of feathers of the tropic bird; or thofe of cocks, fattened round neat polilhed fticks, two feet in length; and, for the fame purpofe, they few the (kin of a white dog’s tail over a ftick, with its tuft at the end. They alfo, not unfrequenly, wear on the head a kind of ornament, of the thicknefs of a finger, or more, covered with yellow and red feathers, curioufly varied, and tied behind and, on that part of the arm which is above the elbow, a fort of broad (hell-work, grounded upon net-work. The men fometimes punfture themfelves upon their hands or arms, and near the groin; but fre¬ quently we faw no marks at all; though a few individuals had more of this fpecies of ornament than we had ulually feen at other places, and cu¬ rioufly executed in a great Variety of lines and figures, on the arms and fore-part of the body. Contrary to thecuftom of the Friendly and Society fflands, they do not flit, or cut off’, any part of the ■ . prep ce PACIFIC OCEAN, ,173 prepuce ; but have it univerfally drawn over the glans, and tied with a firing. There is no appearance of defence, or fortifica¬ tion, near any of their villages, and the houfes, are flattered about, without the lead order. Some of thefe habitations are large and commodious, from forty to fifty feet in length, and twenty or thirty in breadth; while others of them are con¬ temptible hovels. Their figure refembles that of hay-flacks; or, perhaps, a better idea may be con¬ ceived of them, by fuppofing the roof of a barn placet! on the ground, in fuch a manner, as to form a high, acute ridge, with two low fides. The gable at each end, correfponding to tiie fides, makes thefe dwelling-places clofe all round; and they are well thatched with long grafs, wh'ch is laid on (lender poles. The entrance is made either in the end or fide, and is an oblong hole, extremely low; it is often fhut up by a board of planks, fattened together, which ferves as a door; but, as it has no hinges, mufl be removed occa¬ sionally. No light enters the houfe except by thil opening; and though fuch clofe habitations may be comfortable places of retreat in bad weather, they feem but. ill-adapted to the warm climate of this country. They are kept remarkably clean, and the floors are flrewed with dried grafs, over which mats are fpread to fit and deep on. At one end flands a bench, about three feet high, on W’hich the domcflic utenfiis are placed. Thefe * cenfifi; 174 A VOYAGE TO THE confift of . gourd-lhells, which the natives con-* vert into veffels, that ferve as bottles to hold water, and as balkets to contain their food, and other things; and alfo of a few wooden bowls and trenchers of various fizes. . From what we faw growing, and from what was brought to market, we have ho doubt, that fweet potatoes, taro, and plantains, conftitute, the principal part of their vegetable diet; and that yams and bread-fruit areratherto be.confider- ed as rarities. Of animal food, they appear to be in nq want; as they have great numbers of hogs, which fun, without reftraint, about the houfes ; and, if they eat dogs, which is not altogether improbable, their ftock of thefe feemed very confiderable. The quantities of fifhing-hooks found among them, indicated that they procure a tolerable fupply of animal food from the fea. They have a cufiom of faking fhh, and likewile pork, which they preferve in gourd-lbells. The fait, which they ufe for this purpofe, is of a red- difti colour, but not very coarfe, and feems to be nearly the fame with what our ftragglers found at Chriftmas Ifland. Its colour, is doubtlels, de¬ rived from a mixture of mud, at the bottom of the part where it is formed; for lome of it, which had adhered in lumps, was of a tolerable whitenefs. They bake their vegetable articles of food with heated (tones i and, from the great quantity which we faw dreflfed at one time, we imagined, that PACIFIC OCEAN. *75 all the inhabitants of a village, or at leaft, a confiderable number of people, joined in the ufe of a common oven. We did not perceive them drefs any animal food at this ifland; but Mr. Gore’s party, as has been already mention¬ ed, obferved that it was dreffed at Oneeheow in the fame kind of ovens, which makes it highly probable that this is alfo the pradtice in Atooi ; particularly as we met with no utenlil there, that could ferve the purpofe of boiling or Hewing, The only artificial dilh we faw was a taro pud¬ ding; which,'though very four, was devoured with avidity by the natives. They eat off a fort of wooden trenchers ; and as far as we were enabled to judge from one inftance, the women, if re- ftrained from feeding at the fame dilh with the men, as is the cuftom at Otaheite, are, at leaft, allowed to eat in the fame place near them. The amufements of thefe people are various. We did not fee the dances at which they ufe the feathered cloaks and caps; but, from the mo¬ tions which they made with their hands, on other occafions, when they fung, we judged that they were fomewhat fimilar to thofe we had met with at the fouthern iflands, though not fo fkilfully performed. They had not, among them, either flutes or reeds; and the only two mufical inftru- ments, feen by us, were of an extremely rudf kind. One of them does not produce a melody fuperior to that of a child’s rattle. It confifts of what may be denominated a conic cap invert¬ ed, A VOYAGE TO THE 176 ed, but very little hollowed at the bafe, made of a fedge-like plant; the upper part of which, and likewife the edges, are embellifhed with beau¬ tiful red feathers; and to the point, or lower part, is a fixed gourd-fhell. Into this they put fome- thing to rattle, which is done by holding the inftrument by the fmall part, and fhaking it brifkly before the face, at the fame time ftriking the bread: with the other hand. The other in¬ ftrument was a hollow veflel of wood, not unlike a platter, combined with the ufe of two fticks, on which one of our gentlemen obferved a man performing. He held one of the fticks, about two feet in length, with one hand, in the fame manner as we hold a violin, and ftruck it with the other, which was fmaller, and refembied a drum-ftick, in a quicker or flower meafure; beating with his foot at the fame time upon th'e hollow veflel, that lay upon the ground invert¬ ed, and thus producing a tune, that was not difagreeable. This mulic was accompanied by the vocal performance of fome women, whofe fong had a pleafing effed’. They have great numbers of fmall polifhed rods, of the length of between four and five feet, rather thicker than the rammer of a mnf- quet, with a tuft of long white dog’s hair fixed on the fmall end. Thefe they probably make ufe of in their diverfions. We faw a native take one of them in his hand, and, holding it up, give a fmart PACIFIC OCEAN; ♦ 177 a fmart ftroke, till it was brought into an ho¬ rizontal poiition, ftriking the ground with his foot, on the fame fide, and beating his breaft with his other hand. They play at bowls with pieces of the whet-ftone above-mentioned, ihaped fortie- what like a fmall cheefe, but rounded at the edges and fides, which are very neatly polilhed. They have other bowls made of a reddifh-brown clay, glazed over with a compofition of the fame co¬ lour, or of a courfe dark-grey flate. They alfo ufe, as quoits, fmall flat roundilh pieces of the writing flate, fcarcely a quarter of an inch thick. In the different manufactures of thefe people, there appears to be an extraordinary degree of ingenuity and neatnefs. Their cloth is made from the moruspapyrifera, and, doubtlefs, in the fame manner, as at Tongataboo and Ocaheite; for we bought fome of the grooved flicks with which they beat it. Its texture, however, though thicker, is inferior to that of the cloth of either of the places juft mentioned ; but in colouring or ftaining it, the inhabitants of Atooi difplay a fuperiority of tafte, by the infinite variety of,fi¬ gures which they execute. Their colours, in¬ deed, are not very bright, except the red; but the regularity of the figures and ftripes is amazing ; for, as far as we know, they have nothing like ftamps or prints, to make the imprefiions. We had no opportunity of learning in what manner they produce their colours; but, befides the Vox, II.—n° 9; N varie- i? s A VOYAGE fO THE variegated forts, they have fome pieces of plain white cloth, and others of a Angle colour, par¬ ticularly light blue, and dark-brown. In gene¬ ral, the pieces brought to us were about the breadth of two feet, and four or five yards in length, being the form and quantity made ufe of by them for their common drefs, or maro; and even fome of thefe were compofed of pi^p^s few- ed together. They have alfo a particular fort that is thin and greatly refembles oil-cloth; and which is either oiled or foaked in fome kind of varnifh. They fabricate numbers of white mats, which were ftrong, with many red ftripes, rhom- bufes, and other figures interwoven on one fide. Thefe, in all probability, occafionally make a part of their drefs; for, when they offered them to fale, they put them on their backs. They ma¬ nufacture others of a coarfer fort,plain and ftrong, Which they fpread over their floors, to fleep upon. They ftain their gourd-lhells neatly with undu¬ lated lines, triangles, and other figures of a black colour. They alfo feem to be acquainted with the art of varnilhing ; for fome of thefe ftained gourd-fhells are covered with a fort of lacker; and, on other occafions, they make ufe of a ftrong fize, or glutinous fubftance, to fallen things to¬ gether. Their wooden dkhes and bowls, out of which they drink their aver, are of the etooa tree, or cordia , extremely neat and well polifhed. They PACIFIC OCEAN. I79 They l'ikewife make fmall fquare fans of mat or wicker-work, with handles of the fame, or of wood 'tapering from them, which are curioufly wrought with fmall cords of hair, and cocoa-nut fibres, intermixed. Their filhing-hooks are in¬ geniously made ; fome of bone, many of pearl- ’ fhell, and others of wood, pointed with bone. The bones are for the moft part fmall, and con- fift of two pieces ; and the various forts have a barb, either on the infide, like ours, or on the outfide; but others have both, the exterior one beingfartheft from the point. Of the latter fort, one was procured, nine inches in length, made of a Angle piece of bone; the elegant form and polifh of which, could not be exceeded by any European artift. They polilh their ftones, by conftant fridtion, with pumice-ftone in water; and fuch of their tools as we faw, refembled thofe of the fouthern iflanders. Their hatchets, or rather adzes, were exadtly of the fame pattern, and were either formed of a blackilh ftone, or of a clay-coloured one. They have alfo fmall inftrutnents compofed of a Angle ihark’s tooth, fome of which are fixed to the fore-part of the jaw-bone of a dog, and others to a thin wooden handle of a fimilar fhape ; and at the other end there is a bit of firing fattened through a little hole. They ferve occafionally as knives, and are, probably, ufed in carving. N a The l8o A VOYAGE TO THE The only iron-tools feen among them, arrcl which they, poflefled before our arrival, were a piece of iron-hoop, about the length of two inches, fitted into a wooden handle; and another edge- tool, which we fuppofed to have been made of the point of a broad fword. Their having the actual pofleffion of thefe, and their being^well acquainted with the ufe of this metal, inclined fome of our people to imagine that we were not the firft European vifitors of thefe iflands. But the very great furprize which they teftified on feeing our (hips, and their perfect ignorance of the ufe of fire-arms, cannot be reconciled, with fuch an opinion. There are feveral means by which fuch people may obtain pieces of iron, or acquire the knowledge of the exiftence of that metal, without having had an immediate con* nedtion with thofe nations that ufe it. It can fcarcely be doubted, that it was unknown to all the inhabitants of the Pacific Ocean, till Magel¬ lan led the way into it; for no navigator, immedi¬ ately after his voyage, found any of this metal in their pofleffion; though, in the courfe of our late voyages, it has been remarked, that the ufe of it was known at feveral iflands, which no for¬ mer European veffel had ever, to our knowledge, vifited. At all the places where Mendana touch¬ ed, during his two voyages, fome of it muft have been left; and this would, doubtle.fs, extend the knowledge of it to all the various iflands with hichw pacific oceak. i?i which the people, whom he vifited, had any im- mediate intercourfe. It might even have been carried farther ; and where fpecimens of this va¬ luable article could not be met with, defcrip- tions might, in fome degree, ferve to make it known, when afterwards feen. The next voyage to the fouthward of the equator, in which any intercourfe was had with the people who inhabit the Hands of this ocean, was that of Quiros, who landed at Sagittaria, the Hand of Handfome Peo¬ ple, and it Tierra del Efpiritu Santo ; at all which places, as well as at'thofe with which they had any communication, it mu ft undoubtedly have been, made known. To him fucceeded, in this navigation, Le Maire, and Schouten, whole con¬ nections with the natives began much farther to the eaftward, and terminated at Cocos and Horn Hands. It is certain, that the inhabitants ofOta- heite, and the Society Iftes, had a knowledge of iron, and purchafed it with the greateft avidity, when Captain Wallis difeovered Otaheite; and they could only have acquired this knowledge through the mediation of thofe neighbouring Hands at which it had been originally left. They acknowledge, indeed, that this was really the cafe ; and they havefince informed us, that they held it in fuch eftimation, before the arrival of Captain Wallis, that an Otaheirean chief, who h£d gained poflefiiqn of two nails, received no imali emolument, by letting out .the ufe of them N * to A VOYAGE TO TUB j8s to his neighbours, for the purpofe of boring holes. The natives of the Society Illands, whom, •we found at Wateeoo, had been driven to that place long after the knowledge and ufe of iron had been thus introduced among their country¬ men ; and though, perhaps, they had no fpeci- men of it with them, they would naturally com¬ municate at that ifland, by defcription, their knowledge of this ufeful metal. From the people of Wateeoo, again, thofe of Hervey’s Illand might derive that inclination for it, of which we had fufficient proofs during our fhort intercourfe with them. The confideration of thefe fads will Ihew, how the knowledge of iron has been conveyed throughout the Pacific Ocean, to illands which have never had an immediate connedion with Europeans; and it may eafily be imagined, that, wherever the hiftory of it only has been report¬ ed, or a very inconfiderable quantity of it has been left, the greater eagernefs will be fhewn by the inhabitants to procure plentiful fupplies of it. The application of thefe particulars, to the objed of our prefent confideration, is manifelt. The natives of Atooi and Oneeheow, without having ever been vifited by Europeans before us, might have received this metal from interme¬ diate illands, fituated between them and the La- drones, which the Spaniards have frequented al- moft everlince the period of Magellan’s voyage. 3 Or PACIFIC OCEAN, 183 Or, if the diftant weftern pofition of the La- drones, fhould detraCt from the probability of this folution, is there not the American conti¬ nent to windward, where the Spaniards have been fettled for .upwards of two . centuries and a half; during which long fpace of time, fhip- wrecks muft frequently have happened on its coafts ? It cannot be deemed furprizjng that part of fuch wrecks, containing iron, Ihould, by the eafterly trade-winds, be occafionally call upon fome of thofe iflands which are difperfed about this immenfe ocean. The diftance of Atooi from America, is no argument againft this fuppofition; and even if it were, it would not deftroy it. This ocean is annually traverfed by Spanifh yelfels; and'it is highly probable, that, befides the acci¬ dent of lofing a niaft and its appendages, calks with iron-hoops, and many other things that con¬ tain iron, may fall, or be thrown overboard dur¬ ing fo long a paflage, and thus find their way to land. Thefe are not mere conjectures; for one of Captain Cook’s people actually faw fome wood, in a houfe at Wymoa, which he fuppofed to bo fir; it was worm-eaten, and the natives inform¬ ed him, that it had been driven afiiore by the waves; and we had their own exprefs teftimony, that they had obtained, from fome place to the eaftward, the fpecimens of iron found amopg fhem. 184 A'VOYAGE TO THE From this digreffion (if it can juftly be called fo) let us return to the obfervations made during pur continuance at Atooi. The canoes of thefe people are commonly about four and twenty feet in length, and have the bottom, in general, form¬ ed of a Angle piece of wood, hollowed out to the thicknefs of an inch, or more, and brought to a point at each end. The fides are compofed of three boards, each about an inch, thick, neatly fitted and lalhed to the bottom. The extremu ties, both at head and ftern, are a little elevat¬ ed, and both are made fharp, fomewhat refem- bling a wedge, but they flatten more abruptly, fo that the two fide-boards join each other, fide by fide, for upwards of a foot. As they feldom exceed a foot and a half in breadth, thole that go Angle (for they fometimes join them) have out¬ riggers, which are fhaped and fitted with more judgment than any we had before feen. They are rowed by paries, fuch as we had generally obferved at other iflands; and fome of them have a light triangular fail, extended to a mail and boom. The ropes which they ufe for their boats, and the fmaller cords for their fiflaing- tackles, are ftrong, and neatly made. They are by no means novices in the art of agriculture. The vale-ground is one continu¬ ed plantation of taro, and fome other articles, $hich*have all the appearance of being carefully attended to. The potatoe-fields, and fpots of fugar- PACIFIC. OCEAN. fugar-cane,. or plantains, on the higher grounds, are planted with great regularity; but neither thefe, nor the others, are enclofed with any fence, unlefs we confider the ditches in the low grounds as fuch; which, it is more probable, are defign- ed to convey water to the taro. The great quan¬ tity and excellence of thefe articles, may perhaps be as much owing to Ikilful culture, as natural fertility of foil, which feems better adapted to them than to bread-fruit and cocoa-nut trees; the few we faw of thefe latter not being in a thriv¬ ing ftate. Notwithftanding this ikill in agricul¬ ture, the ifland, from its general appearance, feem- ed to be capable of more extenlive improvement, and of mantaining thrice as many inhabitants as are now upon it; for the greater part of it, that now lies wafte, was apparently as good a foil as thofe parts that are cultivated. It mu ft there¬ fore be inferred, that thefe people do not increale in that proportion, which, would render it ne- ceffary for them to take advantage of the extent of their iftands, towards railing a greater quantity pf its vegateble productions for their maintenance. Though Captain Cook did not fee a chief of any note, there were, however, feveral, as the idanders informed us, who refide at Atooi, and to whom they proftrate themfelves as a mark of homage and refpedt. This proftration feems equivalent to the moe moea, paid to the chiefs of the Friendly Iflands, and is here denominated hamoea. A VOYAGE TO THE j86 hamoea , or moe. Whether they were, at firft, afraid to fhew themfelves, or happened to be abr fent, we cannot determine; but after the Refo- lution had left the illand, one of thefe great men made his appearance, and vifited Captain Clerke on board the Difcovery; he came off in a double canoe; and, like the fovereign of the Friendly Illes, paid no regard to the fmall canoes that chanced to be in his way, but ran againft, or .over them, without making the leaft attempt to avoid them. And it was impoffible for thefe poor people to avoid him, for they could not then manage their canoes; it being a neceflary mark; of their fubmiffion, that they fhould lie down till he had paffcd. His attendants afiifted him in getting on board the fhip, and placed him in the gang-way, where they flood round him, holding each other by the hands ; nor would they fuffer any one to approach him but Captain Clerke; himfelf. He was a young man, apparelled from Kead to foot, apd was accompanied by a young woman, who was perhaps his wife. His name was faid to be Tamahano. Captain Clerke hay¬ ing made him fome prefents, received from him, in return, a large bowl, fupported by two figures pf men, the carving of which difplayed fome de¬ gree of {kill, both with refpeft to the defign and the execution. This bowl ufed to be filled with the kava, or ava, (as it is termed at Otaheite), which liquor is prepared and drank here as at; the PACIFIC OCEAN. 7 and are vifted by Numbers of the Natives—Their Behaviour . T HE Difcovery having joined us, we flood away to the northward, with a gentle gale from the eaft. The tides are fo inconfiderableafc the Sandwich Iflands, that, with the great furf breaking againfl the fhore, it was difficult, at all times, to know whether we had high or low wa¬ ter, or whether it ebbed or bowed. On the fouth fide of Atooi, a current generally fet to the weft- ward, or north-weftward. But, when we were at anchor off Oneeheow, we found a current fetting nearly north-weft and fouth-eaft, fix hours each way- This was doubtlefs a regular tide, and the flood appeared to come from the north-weft. , But* PACIFIC OCEAN; *§5 But, to avoid digreflion, on Saturday the 7th of February, we were in the latitude of 29 0 north, and in the longitude of 200° eaft, the wind veer¬ ing to fouth-eaft. We fteered north-eaft and eaft till the 12th, when the wind had veered round to north-eaft, and eaft-north-eaft. We then tacked and ftood to the northward, being in the latitude of 30^ north, and in the longitude of 206° 15' eaft. In this advanced latitude, and even in the winter feafon, we had only begun to feel a fenfa- tion of cold in the mornings and evenings; a proof of the equal and durable influence of the heat of the fun, at all times, to 30° on each fide the line. After that, the difproportion is known to become very great. This muft be principally attributed to the direction of the fun’s rays, in¬ dependent of the bare diftance, which is not equal to the effecTt. On Thurfday the 19th of February, the wind veered to fouth-eaft, and we were again enabled to fleer to the eaft, inclining a little to the north. On the 25th, we reached the latitude of 42 0 30', and the longitude of2i9°; when we began to meet with the rock-weed, mentioned in Lord Anfon’s voyage, by the name of fea-leek, which is generally feen by the Ma¬ nilla {hips. Sometimes a piece of wood appear¬ ed; but, if we had not known that we were near the continent of North America, we might have fuppofed, from the few figns of vicinity of land that we had feen, that we were not within feme G 2 thou- A VOYACE TO THE 196 thoufand leagues of any. Since we left Sandwich Iflands we had hardly beheld a bird, or any other’ oceanic animal. On the 1ft of March, we had a calm day, which was fucceeeded by a wind from the north, with which we ftood to the eaft, intending to make land. We ought to have been near it, ac¬ cording to the charts. Such moderate and mild weather appeared to us very extraordinary, when we were fo far north, and fo near an extenfive continent, at this time of the year. The feafon mud have be^n remarkably mild, for Sir Francis Drake met with very fevere cold, about this la¬ titude, even in the month of June*, Vifcaino, indeed, who was in the fame part of the world. In the depth of winter, hardly takes notice of the cold, and mentions a ridge of fnowy mountains, on this coaft, as fomething extraordinary t. It is a Angular circumftance, that we.fhould meet with fo few birds, compared to thofe we faw in the fame latitudes, to the fouth of the line. This mult either proceed from a fcarcity of them, or from a deficiency of refting-places. Hence it may be concluded, that, in the fouthern he- mifphere, beyond 40^, the fpecies are much more numerous, and the iflands more plentifully feat- * See Sir Francis Drake’s Voyage, in Campbell’s Edition •f Harris, vol. i. p. 18. f Var.ega/s Hill, of California, vol. ii.p, 229. tered. Pacific ocean. 197 tered, than any where near that latitude, between the coaft of California and Japan. On the morning of the 2d, during a calm, part of the fea appeared to be covered with a kind of flime, and fome fmall fea animals were feen fwimming about. Thofe which were mod con- fpicuous, were of the gelatinous kind, almolt globular; a fmaller fort had a white or fhining appearance, and were in great abundance. Some of,the latter were put into a glafs cup, with fome fait water; and, when in a prone fituation, the f appeared like fmall fcales or pieces of filver. When they fwam about, which they did with equal eafe in various diredtions, they enftitted the brighteft colours of the moil valuable gems, ac¬ cording to their pofition refpe&ing the light. At one time they appeared pellucid, at another difplaying the various tints of blue, from a fap- phirine to a violet, mixed, with a kind of ruby, and glowing with fufficient ftrength to illuminate the glafs and water. When the veffel was held to the ftrongeft light, the tints appeared moft vivid; but almoft vanifhed when the animals fub- fided to the bottom, and they had then a brownifh appearance. By candle-light, the colour, was principally, a beautiful pale green, with a kind of burnifhed glofs; and, in the dark, it faintly exhibited a glowing fire. - They are a new fpecies of onifcus r and were called, by Mr. Anderfon, onifcus fulgens ; being O3 fup- A VOYAGE TO THE *$8 fuopofed to be an animal that contributes to that lucid appearance, often obferved at fea, in the: night. Two large birds fettled, this day on the water, near the fhip. One was the procellaria maxima ; and the other, of little more than half the magnitude of the former, appeared to be of the albalrofs kind. It was larger than a fea-gull, but refembled it in other refpefts. About noon, on the 6th, we beheld two feals, and feveral whales; and early the next morning, the long- expe&ed coaft of New Albion * was feen, at the diftanceof ten or twelve leagues, extending front north-eaft to fouth cafl. At noon, we were in the latitude of 44 0 north, and in the longitude of 235° 2o / eaft, and the land about eight leagues diftant. We had now feventy-three fathoms water, over a muddy bottom, and found ninety fathoms about a league farther off. The land, which was of a moderate height, appeared to be diverfified with hills and vallies, and principally covered with wood. No very ftriking object, however, prefented itfelf, except an high hill, with a flat fummit, which bore call from us at noon. The land formed a point at the northern extreme, which Captain Cook named Cape Fouhveather , from the exceeding bad weather we afterwards fr.et with. Af|er * So named by Sir Francis Drake. PACIFIC OCEAN, *99 After variable light airs and calms, at eight o’clock in the evening of the 7th, a breeze fprnng up at fouth-weft. We flood to the north-weft, under an eafy fail, intending to range along the coaft at day light. But, the next morning, at four, the wind having fhifted to noith-weft, it blew in fqualls, with rain. Till near ten o’clock our courfe was north-eaft: but, not being able to make any progrefs on this tack, and feeing nothing that had the appearance of an harbour, we tacked, and flood off fouth-weft. Cape Foul- weather, at this time, bore north-eaft by north, diftant about eight leagues. In the evening of the 8th, the wind veered to the north-weft, with fqualls, hail, and fleet; and, the weather being hazy and thick, we flood out to lea till about noon the next day, when we flood in again for the land, which we faw at two in the afternoon, bearing eaft-north-eaft. In the evening, the wind veered more to the weft, and the weather grew worfe, which obliged us to tack and {land off till about four the next morning, when we flood in again. In the afternoon, at four, we difcovered the land, which, at fix, was about eight leagues diftant. Here we tacked, and founded, but could not reach the ground with a line of one hundred and fixty fathoms. We flood off till near midnight, and then flood in again. At half paft fix, the next morning, we jvere about three leagues from the land. Seeing O 4 nothing A VOYAGE TO THE: $06 nothing like a harbour, and the weather continu¬ ing unfettled, we tacked and ftretched off' fouth-? weft, having then fifty-five fathoms water. The land which we approached, when we tack¬ ed, is moderately high, but, in many places, it fifes ftill higher within. It is diverfified with hills and rifing grounds, many of which ^re co¬ vered with tall ftr^ight trees; and others, which were not fo high, grew in fpots, like clumps pr coppices; but the fpaces between, and the fidest of the rifing grounds, were clear. Though, perhaps, as a fummer profpeft, this might be very agreeable, yet, at this feafon, it had fin uncomfortable appearance, the bare grounds along the coaft being covered with fnow, which feemed to lie in abundace between the' hills and rifing grounds; and in many places, towards the fea, had, at a diftance, the appearance of white cliffs. On the rifing grounds, the fnow was thin¬ ner fpread; and farther inland, there feemed tq be none at all. Hence it might, perhaps, be concluded, that the fnow which we had feen to¬ wards the fea, had fallen the preceding night; which was, indeed, the coldeft we had experi¬ enced fince our arrival on that coaft; and a kind of fleet fometimes fell. 1 he coaft appeared almoft ftraight in every part, not having any opening or inlet, arid ter¬ minated in a kind of white fandy beach; though it was imagined by fome on board, that fuch ap¬ pearance PACIFIC 0CEAET, g$l pearance was owing to the fnow. Each extreme of^the land fhot out into a point; the northern one was that which we had feen on the 7th, and therefore Captain Cook called it Cape Perpetua. Its latitude is 44 0 6 / north, and its longitude 2 35 ° 5 2 ' ea ^’ The f° ut h ern extreme the Com¬ modore named Cape Gregory. It lies in the lati¬ tude of 43 0 3c/, and in the longitude 235 0 57' eaft. This point is rendered remarkable, by the land of it rifing immediately from the fea, to a tolerable height, and that on each fide of it is very low. We flood oft till almoft one in the afternoon, and then tacked and ltood in, hoping, in the night, to have the wind oft from the land. We were, however, rniiiaken, for, at five o’clock it veered tQ the weft and fouth-weft, which in¬ duced us once more to Hand out to fea. Cape Perpetua now bore north-eaft by north; and the fartheft land to the fouth of Cape Gre¬ gory, bore fouth by eaft, diftant about ten or twelve leagues. Its latitude will therefore be 43 0 10', and'its longitude eaft. This is nearly the fituation of Cape Blanco, difcovered the 19th of January, 1603, by Martin d’Aguilar. It is remarkable that, in this very latitude, Geo¬ graphers have placed a large entrance or ftrait, afcribing the difcovery pf it to the Tame naviga¬ tor; whereas nothing more is mentioned in his yoyage, than his having difcovered a large river 202 A VOYAGE TO THE in^this fituation, which he would have entered, but \ 95 s hindered by the currents. The wind was now very unfettled, and blew in fqualls, with fnow fhovvers. At midnight. It fhifted to weft-north-weft, and prefently in¬ creased to a very hard gale, with heavy fqualls, and fleet, or fnow. We had not a choice now, but were obliged to ftrelcb to the fouthward, to get clear of the coaft. This was done under more fail than the fhips could bear with fafety, but it was abfoluteiy necefiary to avoid the more imminent danger of being forced on fhore. This gale abated at eight o’clock in the morning of the 13th, and then we flood rn again for the land. The wind remained at weft and north-weft. Storms, breezes, and calms, alternately fucceed- ed each other, till the morning of the 21ft, w'hen a breeze fprung up at fouth weft. ' This being accompanied with fair weather, we fleered north- eafterly, hoping to fall in with the land, beyond where we had been toffed about for the preceding fortnight. In the evening, the wind fhifted to the weftward, and'the next morning, about eight o’clock, we beheld the land at the diftance of about nine leagues. . Our latitude was now 47? if north, and our longitude 235' ic/ eaft. We flood to the north, with a fine "breeze, till near feven in the evening, when we tacked, in'order to wait for day-light We were now in forty- tight fathoms water, and four leagues from the land, PACIFIC OCEANs land, extending from north to fouth-eaft; and n fmall 'round hill, which we fuppofed to be an ifland, bore north three quarters eaft, at the dif¬ iance of about fix or feven leagues. It feemed to be of a tolerable height, and could but juft be feen from the deck. There appeared to be a fmall opening between this fuppofed ifland, and the northern extreme of the land; we therefore entertained fome hopes of finding an harbour; but thefe hopes gradu¬ ally vanifhed as we grew nearer; and, at length, we were almoil convinced, that the opening was clofed by low land. The Commodore, for this reafon, named the point of land to the north of it. Cape Flattery. Its latitude is 48° 15' north, and its longitude 235 0 3' eaft. All the land upon this part of the coaft, is of a pretty equal height, is principally covered with wood, and has a very fertile appearance. In this very latitude, Geographers have placed the pre¬ tended ftrait of Juan de Fuca. But nothing of that kind prefented itfelf to our view, nor is it probable that any fuch thing ever exifted. We Hood to the fouthward till midnight, qnd then tacked, and, with a gentle breeze at fquth-wcft, fleered to the north-weft, intending, at day-light, to Hand in for the land. But, before that time, we had a very hard gale, with rain, right on Ihore; inftead, therefore, of running in for the Jand, we endeavoured to get an offing, or, at leaft, ■A VOTACE TO THE 204 |eaft, to preferve that which we had already got. The Couth-weft wind, however, djd not continue Jong, for it veered again to the weft before night. Thus were we perpetually encountering with ftrong weft and north-weft winds. In an even¬ ing, the wind would fometimes become mode¬ rate, and veer fouthward; but this was a certain prelude to a ftorm, which blew the hardeft at fouth-fouth-eaft, and was generally accompanied with rain and fleet. In the courfe of fix hours, it was ufually fucceeded by a gale from the north- weft, which introduced fair weather. About nine o'clock in the morning, of, Sunday the 29th, we again faw the land,, the neareft part about fix leagues diftant. We were now in the latitude of £9.® 29'' north, and ip the longitude of 232 0 29' call. The face of the country was very different from that of the parts which we had before feenj numbers of lofty mountains prefented themfelves to our view, whofe fummits were covered with fnow: The vallies between them, and the land towards the coaft, were covered with high ftraight trees, that appeared like a vaft foreft. A low point was formed, at the fouth-eaft extreme of the land, off which are feveral breakers, occafi- oned by fume funken rocks. It was therefore called Point Breakers. Its latitude is 49 0 15' iiorth, and its longitude 233 0 2of eaft. The la¬ titude of the other extreme is about 50°, and the longitude PACIFIC OCEAN* S05 longitude 232 0 . This laft was named Woody Point. It is high land, and projeQs to the fouth- weft. Between thefe two points, a large bay is Form¬ ed, which the Commodore called Hope Bay; help¬ ing, as he faid, to find in it a good, harbour; and the event proved that he was not miftaken. As we approached the coaft, we faw the appear¬ ance of two inlets; one of which was in the north- weft, and the other in the north-eaft corner of the bav. We bore up for the latter, and paffed fome breakers about a league from the fliore. Half a league without them, we had nineteen and twenty fathoms water; but, after we had palled them, the depth increafed to fifty fathoms; and farther in, the ground was unfathomable with the greateft length of line. Though appearances were in our favour, we were not yet certain that there were any inlets; but, being in a deep bay. Captain Cook refolv- ed to anchor, in order to endeavour to get fomc water, which we began to be much in need of. As we advanced, however, the exiftence of the inlet no longer remained doubtful. About five o’clock, when we reached the weft point of it, we were becalmed for fome time. In this fitua- tion, the Commodore ordered all the boats to be hoifted out, in order to tow the fhips in. Pre- fently a frelh breeze fprung up at north-weft, with which we ftretched up into an arm of the inlet, which A VoVage TO THjET which ran in to the north-eaft. Here we wefS again becalmed, and found it neceffary to anchor in eighty five fathoms water, and fo near the land as to be able to reach it with a hawfer. The Dif- covery was becalmed before file got within the arm, where fhe anchored in feventy fathoms water. As foon as we approached the inlet, we per- ceived the coaft to be inhabited; and three ca¬ noes came off to the fhip, at the place where we were firft becalmed; in one of which were two men, in another fix, and in the other ten. Ad¬ vancing pretty near us, a perfon ftood in one of the two I aft, and fpoke for a confiderahle time, inviting us, as we fuppofed by his geftures, to go afhore; and, at the fame time, continued drew- ine handfuls of feathers towards' us. Some of his companions a!fo threw a red powder in the fame manner. The perfon who v 7 as the orator upon this oc~ cafion, was clothed with the'fkin of fome ani¬ mal, and held fomething in each hand which rat¬ tled as he fliook it. At length, grown weary with his repeated exhortations, of which we could not comprehend a word, he became quiet; and - the others, in their turn, had fomething to fay to us; but their fpeeches were neither fo long, nor fo vehement as that of the other. The hair of two or three of tilde people was ftrewed over with PACIFIC OCEAN. ' 20^ •With fmall white feathers; and that of others, with large ones, ftuck into different parts. The tumultuous noife having ceafed, they lay. at a fmall diftance from the {hip, converfing to¬ gether with much eafe and compofure, without fhewing the leaft diftruft or furprize. Some of them rofe, occafionally, and faid fomething aloud, after the manner of their firft harangues; and one, in particular, fung a molt agreeable air, accompanied with a great degree of melody and foftnefs; the word hacla being frequently repeated as the burden of the fong. A breeze fpringing up foon after, brought us clofer to the fhore, when the canoes began to vifit us in great numbers; having had, atone time, no lefs than thirty-two or them about the (hip, containing from three to {even br eight perfons each, and of both fexes. Several of thefe alfo flood, up and fpake aloud, ufing the fame gef- tures as our firft vifitors. One canoe particu¬ larly attraQed our obfervation, by a peculiar head, which had a bird’s eye, and an enormous large beak, painted on it. The perfon who was in it, and who appeared to be a chief, was equally remarkable .for his Angular appearance; having a large quantity of feathers hanging from his head and being painted or fmeared in a very extraor¬ dinary manner. In his hand he had a carved Tiird of wood, of the fize of a pigeon, with which he often rattled, like the perfon before-mention¬ ed. A VOYAGE T© THE ao8 ed, arid was equally vociferous in his harangue, which was accompanied with many expreffive geftures. Though our vifitors were fo peaceable, that they could not be ifufpected of any hoftile intention, not any of them could be prevailed tipon to come on board.They were very ready, however, to part with any thing they had, and received whatever we offered them in exchange; but were more folicitous after iron, than any of our other articles of commerce; appearing to be no ftrangers to the ufe of that valuable metal. We were followed, by many of the canoes, to our anchoring-place; and a group, confifting of about ten or a dozen of them, continued along- fide the Refolution the greateft part of the night. Hence we flattered ourfelves, that we were fo comfortably fituated, as to be able to get all our wants fupplied, and forget the delays and hard- fhips we had experienced, in almoft a conflant fucceffion of adverfe winds and tempeftuous wea¬ ther, ever fince our arrival upon this coaft. A VOY- A V d Y A G E TO THE Pacific ocean. b o o K IV. Transactions with the natives of nortj^- AMEklCAj DISCOVERIES ON THAT COAST AND THE EASTERN EXTREMITY OF ASIA* AND RETURN SOUTHWARD TO THE SANDWICH Islands* CHAP. I. Arrival at the Sound—Moor in dn excellent Bar-* bour-+~ViJited by great Numbers of the Natives % who are an inoffenjive Rate of people—Variety of Articles brought to Barter * particularly hu- *hian Skulls—Mifchievous Thefts committed—The Obfervatories ereBed on a Rock—Alfo a ForgC ereBed-*-* Alarmed at feeing the Natives arm them- fives—Diflant Tribes not permitted by the Na~ lives to traffic with us—T empejluous Weather j A Survey of the Sound—»Friendly Behaviour of the Natives of one of the Villages—^Treatment received from an inhofpitable Chief—Greeted with a Song by young Women—A fecond Vifit to one of the Vil¬ lages—Grafs purchafedi—Departure cf the Ships * H AVING happily found fuch excellent fhelter for our (hips* inan inlet whofecoafts appeared to be inhabited by an inoffenfive race Vqu io. P A VOYAGE TO THE 2'lO of people, we loll no time, after coming to an¬ chor, in fearching for a commodious harbour, where we might be ftationed during our conti¬ nuance in the Sound. Upon this fervice, Cap¬ tain Cook fent three armed boats, under the com¬ mand of Mr. King; and went himfelf, in a {'mail boat, on the fame bufinefs. He had no diffi¬ culty in finding what he wanted; for, on the north-weft of the arm, and at a fmall diftance from the fhips, he found a convenient fnug cove, perfectly adapted to our purpofc. Mr. King was alfo fuccefsful and found a ftill better harbour, lying on the north-weft fide of the land. It would, however, have required more time to take the fhips thither, than to the cove where the Captain had been; therefore his choice was de¬ termined in favour of the latter fituation. But, apprehending that we could not tranfport our fhips to it, anti moor them properly, before night had overtaken us, he thought it prudent to con¬ tinue where we were till the next morning. Plenty of canoes, filled with the inhabitants, "were about the fhips the whole day; and a re¬ ciprocal trade was commenced between us, which was conduced with the ftri&eft harmony and in¬ tegrity on both fides. Their articles of com¬ merce were the fkins of various animals; fuch as bears, fea-otters, wolves, foxes, deer, racoons, martins, and po ! e-cats. They alfo produced garments made of {kins; and aiiother kind of cloathing. Pacific ocean, 211 ■cloathing, fabricated from the bark of a tree, or a plant refembling hemp. Befides thefe articles, they had bows, arrows, and fpearsj filh-hooks, and various kinds of inftruments; wooden vizors reprefenting horrid figures; a fort of woollen- ftuff; carved work;, beads; and red ochre: alfo feveral little ornaments of thin brafs and iron, refembling an horfe-fhoe, which they wear pen¬ dant at their nofes. They had likewife feveral pieces of iron fixed to handles, fomewhat re¬ fembling chiffels. From their being in polfeffion of thefe metals, it was natural for us to infer, v that they muft either have been vifited before by perfons of fome civilized nation, or had con¬ nexions with thofe on their own continent, who had fome communication with them. Among all the articles, however, which they expofed to fale, the moll extraordinary were hu¬ man fkulls, and hands, with fome of the flefh re¬ maining on them, which they acknowleged they had been feeding on; and fome of them, indeed, bore evident marks of their having been upon the fire. From this circumftance, it was but too apparent, that the horrid praXice of devouring their enemies, is praXifed here, as much as at New-Zealand, and other South-fea iflands. For the various articles they brought, they received in exchange, knives, chiffels, nails, looking- glaffes, buttons, pieces of iron and tin, or any kind of metal. They had not much inclination for for glafs-beads, and rejected every kind o’f cloth. The next day was employed in hauling our fhips into the cove, where they were moored. We found, on heaving up the anchor, notwith- ftanding the great depth of water, that rocks were at the bottom. Thefe had greatly injured the cable, as Well as the haufers that were carried out to warp the fhip into the cove; confequently the whole bottom was ftrewed with rocks. The fhip was now become very leaky in her upper works: the carpenters were therefore Ordered to caulk her, and to repair any other defers they jfiight difcover. In the courfe of this day (the 31ft of March) ,the news of our arrival brought vaft numbers of the natives about our fhips. At one time we counted above a hundred canoes, each of which on an average, had five people on board; few containing lefs than three; many having feven, eight, or nine; and one was manned with feven- teen. Many of thefe were new vifitors, which we difcovered by their orations and ceremonies •when they approached the fhips. If they, at firft, bad apprehended that we meant to be hoflile, their fears were now removed; for they ventured on board the fhips, and mixed with our people with the utmoft freedom and fami¬ liarity. We difcovered, however, by this inter- courfe, that they were as fond of pilfering as any PACIFIC OCAN. 213 we had met with during our voyage: and they were much more mifchievous than any of the other thieves we had found; for, having {harp inftruments in their poffeflion, they could, the inftant that our backs were turned, put a hook from a tackle, or a piece of iron from a rope. Befides other articles, we loft feveral hooks in this manner, one of which weighed between twenty and thirty pounds. They ftripped our boats of every mprfel of iron that was worth tak- ing away, though fome of our men were always left in them as a guard. They were, indeed, fo dextrous in effeQing their purpofes, that one fellow would contrive to amufe our people at one ehd of the boat, while another was forcing off the iron-work at the other. If an article that had been ftolen, was immediately miffed, the thief was eafily detected, as they were fond of impeaching each other. But the prize was al¬ ways reluftantly given up by the guilty perfon; and fometimes compulfive means were obliged to be exercife for that purpofe. Our {hips being fafely nioored, we proceeded, the next day, to other neceftary bufinefs. The obfervatories were taken afhore, and placed upon a rock on one fide of the coye, not far from the Refolution, A party qf men was ordered to cut wood, and clear a place {or watering. Having plenty of pine-trees here, others were employed in brewing fpruce-beer. The forge was alfo P 3 erected 214 A VOVAGJ T6 TB® erected to make the neceffary iron-work for re¬ pairing the fore-maft, which had one of the bib$ defeGive, and was otherwife incomplete., We were daily vifited by a coiifiderable num¬ ber of the natives; and, among them, we fre¬ quently law new faces. They had a Angular mode of introducing themfelves on their firft ap¬ pearance. They paddled, with their utmoft ftrength and aSivity, round both the (hips; a chief, all this time, Handing up with a fpear ,iry his hand, and fpeaking, or rather bawling, moft vociferoufly. Sometimes the face of this orator was covered with a malk, reprefenting either a human coun¬ tenance, or that of fame other animal; and, in- ftead of a fpear, he had a kindof rattle in his hand. Having made this ceremonious circuit round the Ihip, they would come along-fide, and then be¬ gin to traffic with us. Frequently, indeed, they would firft entertain us with afong, in which their whole company joined, and produced a very agreeable harmony. During thefe vifirs, our principal care was to guardagainft their thievery. We,had, however, in the morning of the 4tfl of April, a very ferious alarm. Our party, who were employed on Ihore in cutting wood and filling water, obferved, that the natives, in all quarters, were arming themfelves ip the bell manner they were able; and that thofe who had pot proper weapons, were collecting flicks and ftones. PACIFIC OCEAN. 2 15 Clones. Hearing this, we thought it neceflary to arm alfo; but, being refolyed to a£t upon the defenfive/*fte Commodore ordered all our work- men to repair to the rock, on which our obfer- vatories had been placed, leaving the fuppofed enemy in poffeffion of the ground where they had affembled, which was within about a hundred yards of the Refolution’s ftern. Our danger, however, was only imaginary; for thefe hoftile preparations were direfled againft a body of their own countrymen, who were ad¬ vancing to attack them. Our friends of the Sound, perceiving. our apprehenfions, exerted their belt endeavours to convince us that this was really the cafe. We faw they had people look¬ ing out, on both fides of the cove, and canoes were frequently difpatched between them and the main body. The adverfe party, on board of about a dozen large canoes, at length drew up in line of battle, off the fouth-point of the cove, a negociation for the reftoration of peace having been commenced. In conducing the treaty, feveral people in canoes pafi’ed between the two parties, and fome debates enfued. At length the matter in difpute appeared to be ad- jufted: but the ftrangers were not permitted to approach the fhips, nor to have any intercourfe or dealings with us. We were probably the occafon of the quar¬ rel j the ftrapgers, perhaps, infixing on having a P i right A VOYAGE TO THE 2l6 right of fharing in the advantages of a trade with us; and our firft friends refolving tow engrofs us entirely to themfejves, We were convinced of this on many other occaGons; nay, even among thofe who lived in the Sound, rh'e weaker were often obliged to fubmitto the |tronger party, and were plundered of every thing, without even at¬ tempting to make any refiftance. In the afternoon we refumed our work, and, the next day, rigged the fore-maft; the head of which not being large enough for. the cap, the carpenter was ordered to Gil up the vacant fpace. In examining the Gate of the maft-head for this purpofe, both cheeks were difcovered to be rotten $ infomuch that there was not a poGibility of re¬ pairing them. We were therefore obliged to get the malt out, and to fupply it with new ones. Thus, v'hen almoft ready fojr fea, all our work was to be done over again, and an additional re¬ pair was neceflary to be undertaken, which would require much time to be completed. It was^ however, fortunate, that thefe defefts fhould be difcovered, when we were fo commodioufly Gtu- ated, as to be able to procure the materials that were requiGte. For, in the cove where our Grips lay, there were fome fmall feafoned trees, perfect¬ ly adapted for our purpofe; and two new cheeks were immediately made from one of thefe. In the morning of the 7th of April, having got the fore-maft out, we hauled it aftiore, and the car¬ penters PACIFIC OCEAN. 217 jsenters were fet to work upon it. Some of our lower Handing rigging being much decayed, the Commodore embraced the opportunity, while the fore-maft was repairing, of ordering a new fet of main-rigging to be fitted, and the fore- rigging to be improved. From our putting into the Sound, till the 7th of April, the weather had been remarkably fine; but, in the morning of the 8th, the wind blew frefh at fouth-eaft, accompanied with hazy wea¬ ther and rain; .it increafed in the afcernoon, and in the evening it blew extremely hard. It came in heavy fqualls, right into the cove, from over the high land on the oppofite fhore; and, though the lhips were well moored, they were in a dangerous fituation. Though thefe tempeftuous blafts fucceeded each other quickly, they were of Ihort duration, and, in the intervals, we had a perfefl. calm. Another misfortune now befel us. On board the Refolution, the mizen was the only mail; that now remained rigged, with its top-maft up. The former was too defe&ive to fupport the latter du¬ ring thefe fqualls, aud gave way at the head, under the rigging. The gale abated about eight o’clock; but the rain continued, almoft without intermiffion, for feveral days; during which time, a tent was ereayd over the fore-maft, that the carpenters might be enabled to proceed in their labours with fome degree of coavenience. The 2 l8 A VOYAGE TO THE The natives were not difcouraged, by this bad •weather, from making us daily vifits; and, in our fituation, fuch vifits were very acceptable to us. They frequently brought us a fupply of filh, when we were unable to catch any with a hook and line, and we had not a convenient place to draw a net. The filh they brought us were fmall cod, and a fmall kind of bream, or fardine. On the nth the main-rigging was fixed and got overhead, notwithftanding the rainy weather; and, the next day, we took down the mizen-maft, the head of which was fo rotten, that it dropped pff in the flings. We received q vifit, in the evening, from a tribe o,f natives whom we had not feen before; and who, in genera), made a better appearance than our old friends. The Commodore con¬ duced them into the cabin, but there was not an objeC that demanded their attention ; all our novelties were looked on with indifference, ex¬ cept by a very few, who {hewed a certain degree of curiofity. The next day, a party of our men went into the woods, and cut down a tree, of which a mizen-maft was to be made. The day after it was conveyed to the place where the car¬ penters were at work upon the fore-maft. The ivind, in the evening, veered to the fouth-eaft, pnd blew a very hard gale, attended with rain, fill eight o’clock the next morning; at which time if abated, and veered again to the weft. The . PACIFIC OCEAN. 219 The fore-mall being now finifhed we hauled it along fide; but, on account of the bad weather, could not get it in till the afternoon. We were expeditious in rigging it, while the carpenters were employed on themizen-maft on ffiore. On the 16th, when they had made confiderable pro- grefs in it, they difcovered that the tree on which they were at work, was wounded, owing, it was imagined, to fome accident in cutting it down. It therefore became necelfary to procure another tree out of the woods, on which occafi- on, all hands were employed above half a day. During thefe operations, many of the natives were about the ffiips, gazing on with an expref- five furprize, which, from their general inatten¬ tion, we did not expefcl. A party of ftrangers, in feven or eight canoes, came into the cove on the 18th, and after looking at us for fome time, Retired. We apprehended that our old friends, who, at this time, were more numerous about u% than our new vifitors, would not fuffer them to have any dealings with us. It was evident, in r deed, that the neighbouring inhabitants engrof- fed us entirely to themfelves, and that they car¬ ried on a traffic with more diftant tribes, id thofe. articles they had received from us: for they frequently difappeared for four or five days to¬ gether, and returned with frefc cargoes of curio- fiti^s and (kins. Such 220 V VOYAGE TO THE Such of the natives as vifited us daily, Were the moll beneficial to us; for, after difpofing of their trifles, they employed themfelves in filhing, and we always partook of what they caught. We alfo procured from them a confiderable quantity of good animal oil, which they brought to us in bladders. Some, indeed, attempted to cheat us, by mixing water withtheoil; and, once or twice, they fo far impofed upon us, as to fill their blad¬ ders with water only. But, it was better f6r us to wink at thefe impofitions, than fuffer them to produce a quarrel; for our articles of traffic chiefly confided of trifles, and we found it dif¬ ficult to produce a conftant fupply even of thefe. Beads, and fueh like toys, of which we had fome remaining, were not highly eftimated. Me¬ tal was principally demanded by our vifitors; and brafs had now fupplanted iron, being fought, after, with fuch eagernefs, that, before we left fhe Sound, hardly a bit of it was to be found in the fliips, except what conllituted a part of our neceflary inflruments. Suits of cloaths were ftripped of their buttons; bureaus of their fur¬ niture; kettles, canifters, and candlefticks, all went to rack; fo that our American friends pro¬ cured from us a greater variety of things, than any other nation we had vifited. Having had a fortnight’s bad weather, Sunday the 19th being a fair day, we embraced the op¬ portunity of getting up the top-mafts and yards, and PACIFIC OCEAN. J322 and of fixing up the rigging. Mod of our heavy work being now finifhed, the Commodore fet out the next morning to furvey the Sound; and, going firft to the weft point, he difcovered a large vil¬ lage, and, before it, a very fnug harbour,, with from nine to four fathoms water. The inhabitants of this village, who were nu^ merous, many of whom the Commodore was no ftranger to, received him with great courtefy„ every one preffing him to enter his apartment; for feveral families have habitations under the fame roof. He politely accepted the invitations, and the hofpitable, friends whom he vifited tefti- fied every mark of civility and refpeft. Women were employed, in many of thefe ha¬ bitations, in making dreffes of the bark or plant already mentioned, and executed their bufinels much like the inhabitapts of New Zealand. Others were bufy in opening fardines; large fhoals of which we have feen brought on fhore, and mea- fhred out to feveral people, who carried them home, where they performed the operation of curing them, which is done by fmoke-drying. They are hung upon fmall rods; at firft, about a foot over the fire; they are then removed higher and higher, to make room for others. When dried, they are clofely packed in bales, and the bales covered with «nats. Thus they are pre- ferved till they are wanted; and they are not un- pleafant food. They alfo cure cod and othejr large 222 A VOYAGE TO THE large filh in the fame manner; but thefe are fomc- times dried in the open air. Leaving this village, the Commodore pro¬ ceeded up the weft fide of the Sound. For near three miles he faw feveral fmall iflands, fo fituated as to form fome convenient harbours, the depths being from thirty to feven fathoms. About two leagues within the Sound, on the fame fide, an arm runs in the dire&ion of north-north-weft, and another in the fame dire&ion about two miles further. About a mile above the fecond arm, he found the ruins of a village. The framings of the houfes remained Handing, but the boards or roofs were taken away. Behind this deferred village is a fmall plain, covered with the largeft pine-trees that the Commodore had ever feen. This was indeed Angular, as moft of the elevated ground on this fide of the Sound appeared rather naked. Palling from this place to the eaft fide of the Sound, Captain Copk found, what he had before imagined, that it was an illand under which the Ihips lay; and that many fmaller ones lay feat- tered on the weft fide of it. Upon the main land, oppofite the north end of our illand, the Com¬ modore obferved a village, and landed there; but he was not fo politely received by the inha¬ bitants, as by thofe of the other village he had vifited. This cold reception was occasioned by one fyrly chief, who would not fuffer the Com- 3 modore PACIFIC OCEAN. 2 23 modore to enter their houfes, but followed him wherever he went; making expreffive figns that he was impatient for him to be gone. Captain Cook attempted, but in vain, to footh him with prefents; for, though he did not refufe them, he continued the fame kind of behaviour. But, not- withftanding this treatment from the inhofpitable chief, fome of the yonng women expeditioufly apparelled themfelves in their beft, alfehibled in a body, and gave us a hearty welcome to the vil • lage, by joining in an agreeable fong. Evening now drawing on. Captain Cook proceeded for the fhips round the north-end of the illand. When he returned on board, he was informed that, in his abfence, fome Grangers, in two or three large canoes, had made a vifit to the fhips; from whom our people underftood, by figns, that they bad come from the fouth-eaft. They brought with them feveral garments, fkins, and other ar¬ ticles, which they bartered for fome of ours. But the moft remarkable circumftance was, that two filver table-fpoons were purchafed of them by our people, which appeared to be of Spanifh- manu¬ facture. They were worn round the neck of one of thefe vifitors, by way of ornament. On the 21ft, the mizen-mafl was got in and rigged, and the carpenters ordered to make a new fore-top maft, to replace that which had been carried away. A number of firangers vifited u$ about eight o’clock the next morning, in twelve or A VO.YAGE TO THE 224 or thirteen canoes. They came from the fouth- ward ; and when they had turned the point of the cove, they drew up in a body, where they re¬ mained about half an hour, at the diflance of two hundred yards from the fhips. We imagined, at firft, they were afraid to approach; but in this we were miftaken, for they were only making prepa¬ rations for an introductory ceremony. At length they advanced towards the fhips, all Handing up in their canoes, and began to fing. Some of their fongs were flow and folemn, in which they were joined by the whole body; others were in quicker time, and their notes were regu¬ larly accompanied by the motions of their hands, their paddles beating in concert on the hides of the canoes; and they, at the fame time, exhi¬ bited the moll expreffive geftures. They re¬ mained filent, for a few feconds, after the con- clufion of each fong, and then began again, fre¬ quently pronouncing th6 word hooee as a kind of chorus. Having thus favoured us with a fpecimen of their mafic, with which we were highly enter¬ tained for half an hour, they came nearer the fhips and bartered with us. We now perceived that fome of our old friends from the Sound were among them, who managed for the ftrangers in the traffic between us and them. Thefe vifitors being gone, the Captains Cook and Clevke went with two boats to the village at the PVCIFIC OCEAN. 225 the weft point, where Captain Cook had been two days before, and had obferved that plenty of grafs was to be had near it; and it was neceffary to get a fupply of this, for the few remaining goats and fheep which were ftill on board. They expe¬ rienced the fame welcome reception that Captain Cook had met with before ; and, foon after they were alhore, the Commodore ordered fome of his people to begin cutting; not imagining that the natives would objedt to our furnifhing ourfelves with what could not be of any ufe to them, though effentially neceffary for us. In this, however, he was miftaken, for as foon as our men began cut¬ ting the grafs, fome of the inhabitants would not permit them to proceed, faying, “ makook” which fignified that we muft buy it firft. The Commodore, at this time, was in one of the houfes ; but, hearing of this, he repaired im¬ mediately to the field, where he found about a dozen claimants of different parts of the grafs that grew on the premifes. The Commodore treated with them for it, and having complied with the terms of his purchafe, thought we had now full liberty to cut wherever we pleafed. Here he was again miftaken; for he had fo libe- ’ rally paid the firft pretended proprietors, tliat frefh demands were made frdfn others; fo that it almoft appeared that every Angle blade of grafs had a feparate owner; and fo many of them were to befatisfied, that his pockets prefently became Vol. II.—10. empty. 226 A VOYAGE TO THE empty. When they were, however, convinced that he had nothing more to give, they ceafed to be importunate, and we were permitted tor cut where we pleafed, and as much as we pleafed. It is worthy of obfervation, that we never met with any uncivilized nation, or tribe, who. pof- fefled fuch ftrick notions of their having an exclu- five property in the produce of their country, as the inhabitants of this Sound. They even wanted our people to pay for the wood and water that were carried on board. Had Captain Cook been prefent when thefe demands were made, he would doubdefs have complied with them; but our workmen thought differently, and paid little or no attention to fuch claims. The natives think¬ ing we were determined to pay nothing, at length ceafed to apply. But they frequently took occa- fion to remind us, that their efleem for us had induced them to make us a prefent of wood and water. While they remained at this village, Mr. Web¬ ber, who attended the two Captains, thither, made a drawing of every thing that was thought cu¬ rious, both within doors and without. This he was well enabled to do, as he had an excellent opportunity of infpebting narrowly, the con- ftruction of their buildings, their furniture, and implements or utenfils, as well as the moft Unking peculiarities of the modes of living of the inha¬ bitants. Having, at length, completed all their opera- 1 PACIFIC OCEAN. zt 7 operation at this village, the natives and the two Captains took a friendly leave of each other, and we returned to the {hips in the afternoon. The 23d, 24th, and 25th of April were employed in preparing to put to fea; the fails were bent ; the obfervatories and other articles removed from the fhore ; and both fhips put into a proper condition for failing. Thus prepared, we intended to have put to fea on the morning of the 26th, but having both wind and tide againft us, we were under a neceflity of waiting till noon; when a calm fucceeded the fouth-weffc wind, and the tide, at the fame time, turning in our favour, we towed the fhips out of the cove. We had variable airs and calms till about four in the afternoon, when a breeze fprung tip, attended with thick hazy weather. The mercur^ in the barometer funk uncom¬ monly low, and we had every appearance of an approaching (form from the fputhward. In this Situation Captain Cook hefitated, for a fhort time, (as night was then approaching) whether he fhould fail immediately, or flay till the next morning. But his anxiety to proceed upon the voyage, and the fear of loofingfo good an oppor¬ tunity of getting out of the Sound, operated more ftrongly upon his mind than the apprenftons of danger, and he refolved to put to fea. We were attended by the na'tives till we were almpfl out of the Sound ; fome in their canoes, Q_ 2 and 228 A VOYAGE TO THE and others on board the fhips. One of the chiefs, who had particularly attached himfelf to the Com¬ modore, was among the laft who parted from us. The Commodore, a little time before he went, made him a fmall prefent; for which he received, in return, a beaver-fkin of a much fuperior value. This occafioned him to make fome addition to his prefent, which pleafed the chief fo highly, that he prefented to the Commodore the beaver- fkin cloak which he then wore, and of which he was particularly fond. Struck with this inftance of generality, and wilhing him not to be a fufferer by his gratitude. Captain Cook infifted upon his acceptance of a new broad-fword, with a brafs hilt, with which he appeared greatly delighted. We were earneftly importuned by the chief, and many of his coun¬ trymen, to pay them another vifit; who, by way of inducement, promifed to procure a large ftock of fkins. Further particulars relative to the coun¬ try and its inhabitants, will furnifh materials for the two fubfequent chapters. CHAP. PACIFIC OCEAN. 229 CHAP. II. Directions for failing into the Sound—The adjacent Country defer ibed—Remarks on the Weather and Climate—Trees and other vegetable Productions — Racoons, Martins, Squirrels, and other Qua¬ drupeds—Variety of Skins brought for Sale—* Whales, and other Sea Animals—The Sea Otter defer ibed — Birds—Oceanic Birds — Fijh—Shell Fifh—Snakes and Lizards — InfeAs—Stones — Defeription of the Natives—Their Colour — For¬ mation — Drefs and Qrnamenfs —• Particular Drejfes, and horrible wooden Mafks—Leathern Mantle for War—Their Difpofitiun—Songs— Mufcal Injlruments—Their Fondnefs for Metals, which they take every Opportunity of Jlealing. K jNG George’s Sound was the appellation given by the Commodore to this inlet, on our firft arrival ; but he was afterwards informed that the natives called it Nootka. The entrance is in the eaft corner of Hope Bay ; its latitude is 49 0 33 / north, and its longitude 233 0 12'' eaft. The eaft coaft of that bay is covered by a chain of funken rocks; and, near the Sound, are fome iflands and rocks above water. We enter the Sound between two rocky points, lying eaft-fouth- eaft, and weft-north-weft from each other, diftant about four miles. The Sound widens within thefe 0^3 points. i%0 A VOYAGE TO THE points, and extends in to the northward at lead: four leagues. A number of illands, of various fizes, appearin the middle of the Sound. The depth of water, not only in the middle of the Sound, but alfo clofe to fome parts of itslhore, is from forty-feven to ninety fathoms, or more. Within its circuit, the harbours and anchoring-places are numerous. The cove, where our Ihips anchored, is on the eaft fide of the Sound, and alfo on the eaft of the largeft ifland. It is, indeed, covered from the fea, which is its principal recommendation, for it U expofed to the fouth-eaft winds, which fome- times blow with great violence, and make great devaftation, as was but too apparent in many places. Upon the fea-coaft. the land is tolerably high and level; but, within the Sound, it rifes into fteep hills, which have an uniform appearance, ending in roundilh tops, with fharp ridges on their fides. Many of thefe hills are high, and others are of a more moderate height; but all of them are covered to their tops with the thickeft woods. Some bare fpots are to be feen on the fides of fome of the hills, but they are not nume¬ rous, though they lufficiently fhew the general rocky difpofition of thefe hills. They have, in¬ deed, no foil upon them, except what has been produced from rotten moffes and trees, of the depth of about two feet. Their foundation are, indeed, PACIFIC OCEAN 2JI indeed, nothing more than ftupendous rocks ; which are of a gray or whitifh caft when expofed to the weather; but, when broken, are of a blueilh grey colour. The rocky fhore confifts entirely of this; and the beaches of the little coves in the Sound are compofed of fragments of it. During our flay the weather nearly corefponded with that which we had experienced when we were off the coaft. We had fine clear weather, if the wind was between north and weft; but if more to the fouthward, hazy, accompanied with rain. The climate appears to be infinitely milder than that on the eaft coaft of America, under the fame pa¬ rallel of latitude. We perceived no' froft in any of the low ground; but, on the contrary, ve¬ getation proceeded very brilkly, for we faw grafs, at this time, upwards of a foot long. The trees, of which the woods are principally compofed, are the Canadian pine, white cyprefs, and two or three other forts of pine. The two firft are in the greateft abundance, and, at a dif- tance, refemble each other; though they are ea- fily diftinguilhed on a nearer view, the cyprefs being of a paler green than the other. In gene¬ ral, the trees grow here with great vigour, and are of a large fize. At this early feafon of the year, we faw but little variety of other vegetable productions. About the rocks, and borders of the woods, we faw fome ftrawberry plants, and rafberry, cur- Q 4 rant. 2$2 A VOYAGE TO THE rant, and goofeberry bu(hes, all in a flouriihing ftate. There were alfo a few black alder-trees ; a fpecies of fow-thiftle; fome crow’s-foot with a fine crimfon flower, and two forts of anthericum. We alfo met with fome wild rofe-bufhes, juft budding ; fome young leeks, afmall fort of grafs, and fome water-crefles, befides a great abun¬ dance of andromeda. Within the woods are two forts of underwood ftmibs, unknown to us, and fome mofles and ferns. The f&afon of the year did not permit us to acquire much knowledge of the vegetables of this country; and it was impoflible, from our fitua- tion, to learn much about its animals. The want of water induced us to enter the Sound at firft; and the accidents that happened there, though they obliged us to ftay longer than we intended, were unfavourable to our acquiringany knowledge of this kind. It was abfolutely neceflary that every perfon fhould be employed in forwarding the neceflary bufinefs of the fhips; which was the principal objedt, as the feafon was advancing, and the fuccefs of the voyage depended upon their diligence in performing their feveral talks. Excurfions of any kind were, therefore, never attempted. Lying in a cove, on an ifland, all the animals that we faw alive, were two or three racoons, mar¬ tins, and fquirrels ; fome of our people, indeed, who landed on the continent, on the fouth-eaft fide PACIFIC OCEAN* m fide of the Sound, faw the prints of a bear’s feet, not far from the fhore. The only account, there¬ fore, that we can furnilh of the quadrupeds, is taken from the fkins which were purchafed of the inhabitants; and thefe were fometimes fo muti¬ lated in the heads, tails, and paws, that we could not even guefs to what animals they belonged ; though others were either fo perfedt, or fo well known, they did not admit of a doubt about them. The moft common among them were bears, deer, foxes, and wolves. Bear-Jkins were very plentiful, generally of a Ihining black co¬ lour, but not very large. The deer lkins were not fo plentiful, and appeared to belong to what the hiftorians of Carolina call the fallow-deer; thoiigh Mr. Pennant diftinguifhes it by the name of Virginian deer, and thinks it quite a different fpecies from ours. Their foxes are numerous, and of feveral varieties; the fkins of fome being yellow, with a black tip at the tail; others, of a reddifh yellow, intermixed with black; and others of an afh colour, alfo intermixed with black. When the fkins were fo mutilated as to admit of a doubt, our people applied the name of fox or wolf indifcriminately. At length, we met with an entire wolf’s fkin, and it was grey. Here is the common martin, the pine martin, and ano¬ ther of a lighter brown colour. The ermine is alfo found in this country, but is fmall, and not very common; its hair is not remarkably fine, though A VOYAGE TO THE *34 though the animal is entirely white, except about an inch 1 at the tip of the tail. The racoons and fquirrels are fuch as are common, but the latter is not fo large as ours, and has a rufty colour extending the length of the back. We were fufficiently clear refpeding the ani¬ mals already mentioned, but there were two others that we could not, with any certainty, diftin- guifh. One of them, we concluded to be the elk or moufe deer; and the other was conjedured to be the wild cat or lynx. Hogs, dogs, and goats, have not yet made their appearance in this place. Nor have the natives any knowledge of our brown rats, to which they applied the name they gave to fquirrels, when they faw them on board the fliips. The fea animals near the coaft, are whales, porpoifes, and leals; the latter, from the Ikins we faw, feeming to be of the common forr. The porpoifes is the Phocena. Though the fea otter is amphibious, we fhall confider him as belong¬ ing to this clafs, as living principally in the wa¬ ter. We doubted, for fome time, whether the Ikins, which the natives fold us for otter ficins, really belonged to that animal; but, a Ihort time before our departure, a whole one, jufl kill¬ ed, was put chafed from fome ftrangers, of which Mr. Webber made a drawing. It wils young, weighing only twenty-five pounds; was of a glolfy black colour, but many of the hairs being • tipt Cooks Voyage , Octavo Edition . PACIFIC OCEAN'. *35 tipt with white, gave it, at firft fight, a greyilh caft. The face, throat, and breaft, were of a light brown, or yellowifh white ; and, in many of the fkins, that colour extended the whole length of the belly. In each jaw it had fix cutting teeth ; two in the lower jaw being exceeding fmall, and placed without, at the bafe of the two in the middle. In thefe refpeds, it differs from thofe found by the Ruffians, and alfo in the outer toes of the hind feet not being fkirted with a mem¬ brane. There alfo appeared a greater variety in colour, than is 'mentioned by thofe who defcribe the Ruffian Tea otters. It is moft probable, that tliefe changes of colour naturally take place at the different gradations of life. The very young .ones had brown coarfe hair, with a little fur un¬ derneath ; but thofe of the fize of the animal juft defcribed, had a greater quantity of that fub- ■ ftance. After they have attained their ful 1 growth, they lofe the black colour, which is fucceeded 'by a deep brown. At that period, they have a 'greater quantity of fine fur, and very few long 'hairs. Some, which we fuppbfed to be older. Were of a chefnut brown ; and we faw fome few ikins that were of a perfect yellow. The fur of thefe creatures is certainly finer than that of any other animal we know of; confequentiy the dif- covery of this part of North America, where fo valuable an article of commerce is to be procured, ought 236 ' A VOYAGE TO THE ought certainly to be confidered as a matter of fome confequence. Birds are far from being numerous here, and thofe that are to be feen are remarkably fhy, otV- ing, perhaps, to their being continually harraffed by the natives, either to eat them, or become poffeffed of their feathers to be worn as orna¬ ments. There are crows ahd ravens, not differ¬ ing, in the leaft, from thofe in England : alfo a jay or magpie ; the common wren, which is the only finging bird we heard ; the Canadian thrufh ; the brown eagle, with a white head and tail ; a fmall fpecies of hawk ; a heron ; and the large- ©refted American king-fifher. There are alfo fome that have not yet been mentioned by thofe who have treated on natural hiftory. The two firft are fpecies of wood peckers. One is fome- what fmaller than a thrufh, of a black colour on the back, having white fpots on the wings; the head, neck, and breaft, of a crimfon colour, and the belly of a yellowifh olive colour; whence it might with propriety, be called the yellow-bel¬ lied wood-pecker. The other is larger and more elegant; the back is of a dufky brown colour, richly waved with black; the belly has a red- difh caft, with bl^ck fpots ; it has alfo a black fpot on the breaft,. and the lower part of the wings and tail are of a fcarlet Colour; the upper part blackifh. A crimfon ftreak runs on each fide, from the angle of the mouth, a little down 4 the PACIFIC OCEAN. 2 37 the neck. The third and fourth are, one of the finch kind, not larger than a linnet, of a dulky colour, black head and neck, and white bill ; and a fand- piper, of a dulky brown colour, with a broad white band acrofs the wings, of the fize of a fmall pigeon. There are alfo humming birds, which differ, in fome degree, from the numerous forts already known of this delicate little animal. The quebrantahueffos, drags, and gulls, were feen off the coaft ; and the two laft were alfo frequent in the Sound. There are two forts of' wild ducks ; one of which was black, with a white head ; the other was white, and had a red bill, but of a larger fize. Here are alfo the greater lumme , or diver, which are found in our northern countries. Some fwans too, were once or twice feen flying to the northward, but we are unac¬ quainted with their haunts. On the Ihores we found another fand-piper, about the fize of a lark, and not unlike the burre: alfo a plover, rery much refembling our common fea-lark. Though the variety of filh is not very great here, they are more plentiful in quantity than birds. The principal forts are the common her¬ ring, which are very numerous, though not ex¬ ceeding feven inches in length; a finaller fort, which, though larger than the anchovy, or far- dine, is of the fame kind ; a filver-coloured bream, and another of a gold brown colour, with narrow blue ftripes. It is"mod: probable that the her- A VOYAGE TO THE *3 3 herrings, and fardines, come in large fhoals, at ftated feafons, as is ufual with thofekind of fifh. The two forts of breams may be reckoned next to thefe in quantity; and thofe which were full grown weighed about a pound. The other filh were fcarce, and confifted of a brown kind of fculpin , fuch as are taken on the coaft of Norway ; another of a reddilh call; frpft fifh; a large one, without fcales, relembling the bull-head; and a fmall brownifh cod with whitilh fpots; alfo a red fifh, of nearly the fame fize, which fome of our people had feen in the ftraits of Magellan ; and another fomewhat like the hake. Confiderable numbers of thofe fifh called the chimcera, or little fea-wolves, are met with here. Sharks alfo fre¬ quent the Sound, the teeth of which many na¬ tives had in their poffeffion. The other marine animals are a fmall cruciated meduja , or blubber; ftar-fifh, fmall crabs, and a large cuttle-fifh. About the rocks there is an abundance of large mufcles; alfo fea-ears ; and we often found fhells of pretty large plain chamce. Alfo fome trochi of two fpecies; a curious murex ; rugged wilks ; and a fnaii. Befides thefe, there are fome plain cockles and limpets. Many of the mufcles are a fpan long ; in fome of which there are large pearls, but they are difagreeable both in colour and fnape. It is probable that there is red coral either in the found or on the coaft; large branches of PACIFIC OCEAN. 239 of it having been feen in the canoes of the na¬ tives. The only reptiles obferved here, were brown fnakes, about two feet in length, having whitifli ftripes on the back and fides ; and brownifh wa¬ ter lizards. The former arefo perfedtly harmlefs, that we have feen the natives carry them alive in their hands. The infeft tribe leem to be more numerous. For though the feafon for their ap¬ pearance was only beginning, we faw feveral dif¬ ferent forts of butterflies, all of which were com¬ mon : we alfo found fome humble-bees; goofe- berry moths ; a few beetles; two or three forts of flies, and fome mufquitoes. Though we found both iron and copper here, we did not imagine that either of them belonged to this place. We did not even fee the ores of any metal, except a coarfe red ochrv fubftance, ufed by the natives in painting or ftaining t'hem- felves. This may, perhaps, contain a fmall quantity cf iron ; as may alfo a black and white pigment made ufe of for the fame purpofe. Exclufive of the rock, which conftitutes the fhores and mountains, we faw, among the natives, fome articles made of a hard black granite, which was neither very compact, nor fine grained ; alfo a greyifh whetftone ; the common oilftone ; and a black fort, little inferior to the hone-ftone. The natives were feen to ufe tranfparent leafy glimmer, and a brown leafy or martial fort. They had 2 240 A VOYAGE TO THE 4 had alfo pieces of rock cryftal. The two firft articles' were probably to be obtained near the fpot, as they had confiderable quantities of them ; but the latter, it may be fuppofed, came from a greater diftance, or is extremely fcarce; for our vifitors would not part with it without a very va¬ luable confideration. The ftature of the natives is, in general, below the common ftandard ; but their perfons are not proportionably flender, being ufually pretty plump, though not mufcular. Their foftflefhinefs, however, feems never to fwell into corpulence ; and many of the older people are rather lean. Moft of the natives have round full vifages, which . re fometimes broad, with high prominent cheeks. ^ove thefe, the face frequently appears fallen jn quite acrofs between the temples ; the nofe flattens at its bafe, has wide noftrils, and a rounded point. The forehead is low, the eyes fmall, black, and languifhing; the mouth round, the lips thick, and the teeth'regular and well fet, but not remak- able for their whitenefs. Some have no beards at all, and others only a fmall thin one upon the point of the chin. This does not arife from an original deficiency of hair on that part, but from their plucking it cut by the roots; for thofe who do not deftroy it, have not only confiderable beards on every part of the chin, but alfo whifkers, or muftachias, running from the upper lip to the lower jaw obliquely down- A jVIaW and WOMTAT^T of IN"O O T K A S . PACIFIC OCEAN* 24 I downward ®. Their eye-brows are alfo fcanty and narrow; but they have abundance of hair on the head, which is ftrong, black, ftraight, and lank. Their necks are fhort, and their arms are rather clumfy, having nothing of beauty or ele¬ gance in their formation. The limbs, in all of them, are fmall in proportion to the other parts; befides, they are crooked and ill-formed, hav¬ ing projeding ancles, and large feet aukwardly fhaped. The latter defed feems to be occafion- ed, in a great meafure, by their fitting fo conti¬ nually on their hams or knees. Their colour cannot be properly afcertained, their bodies being incrufted with paint and naf- tinefs; though, when thefe have been carefully rubbed off, the fkin was little inferior, in white- nefs, to that of the Europeans; though of that palifh call; which diftinguilhes the inhabitants of our fouthern nations. Some of them, when young, appear rather agreeable, when compared to the generality of the people; that period of life being attended with a peculiar degree of ani¬ mation; but, after a certain age, the diftindion is hardly obfervable; a remarkable famenefs cha- raderizes every countenance, dulnefs and want of expreffion being vifibly pourtrayed in every * It is a miftaken notion, though efpoufed by eminent writers, that American Indians have no beards. See Car¬ vers Travels, p. 224, 225; and Marjdens Hiftory of Suma- tra, p. 39, 40. Vol.II.--n 0 10 R vifage. 242 A VOYAGE TO THE vifage. The women, in general, arc of the fame fize, colour, and form, with the men; nor is ic eafy to diftinguifh them, as theypoflefs no na¬ tural feminine delicacies. Nor was there a Angle one to be found, even among thofe who were in their prime, who had the leaft pretenfions to beau¬ ty or comelinefs. Their drefs, in common, is a flaxen kind of mantle, ornamented with a narrow ftripe of fur on the upper edge, and fringes at the lower edge.. Pafiing under the left arm, it is tied over the right Ihoulder, leaving both arms perfectly free.. Sometimes the mantle is fattened round the waift by a girdle of coarfe matting. Over this is worn a fmall cloak of the fame fubftance, reaching to the waift, alfo fringed at the bottom. They wear a cap like a truncated cone, or a flower-pot, made of very fine matting, ornamented with a round knob, or a bunch of leathern taflels. having a ftring pafiing under the chin, to prevent its blowing off. The above drefs is common to both fexes, and : the men often wear, over their other garments* the ikin of lome animal, as a bear, wolf, or fea- otter, with the hair outwards; fometimes tying it before, and fometimes behind, lik a cloak. They throw a coarfe mat about their Ihoulders in rainy weather, and the)? have woollen gar¬ ments which are but little uled. They generally wear their hair hanging loofely down; but, thofe who PACIFIC OCEAN. H 3 who have not a cap, tie it into a kind of bunch on the crown of the head. Their drefs is certainly convenient, and, were it kept clean, would not be inelegant; but, as they are continually rubbing their bodies over with a red paint, mixed with oil, their garments become greafy, and contract a rancid offenlive fmell. The appearance, indeed, of thefe people, is both wretched and filthy, and their heads and garments fwarm with lice. So loft are they to every idea of cleanlinels, that we frequently faw them pick off thefe vermin, and eat them with the greateft compofure. Their bodies, it has been obferved, are always covered with red paint, but their faces are orna¬ mented with a variety of colours; a black, a brighter red, or a white colour: the laft of thefe gives them a ghaftly horrible appearance. They like- wife ftrew the brown martial mica over the paint, -which caufes it to glitter. Many of their ears are perforated in the lobe, where they make a large hole, and two fmaller ones higher up on the outer edge. In thefe holes are hung bits of bone, quills fattened upon a leather thong, ihells, bunches of taffels, or thin pieces of copper. In fome, the feptum of the nofe is alfo perforated, and a piece of cord drawn through it. Others wear, at the fame place, pieces of copper, brafs!, or iron, fhaped fomewhat like a horfe-fhoe, thenar- row opening receiving the feptum, fo that it may R 2 be 144 A VOYAGE TO T&E be pinched gently by the two points, and thu& the ornament hangs over the upper lip. The? rings of our buttons were eagerly purchafed, and appropriated to tbisufe. Their bracelets, which they wear about their wrifts, are bunches of white bugle beads, or thongs with taffels, or a broad "black horny fhiningfubftance. Round their an¬ cles they frequently wear leathern thongs, or the finews of animals curioully twifted. Such are their common dreffes and ornaments,, but they have fome that are ufed only on extra¬ ordinary occafions, fuch as going to war, and ex¬ hibiting themfelves to ftrangers in ceremonial vifits. Amongft thefe are the fkins of wolves, or bears, tied on like their other garments, but edged with broad borders of fur, ingenioufly or¬ namented with various figures. Thefe are oc- cafionally worn feparately, or over their common clothing. The moft ufual head-drefs, on thefe occafions, is a quantity of withe, wrapped about the head, with large feathers, particularly thofe of eagles, ftuck in it; or it is entirely covered with final! white feathers. At the fame time, the face is varioafly painted, the upper and lower parts being of oppofite colours, and the ftrokes having the appearance of frdh gafhesq oj it is be- fmeared with a kind of fat or tallow, mixed with paint, formed into a great variety of figures, fomewhat like carved work. The ^PACIFIC OCEAN. 245 . The hair, fometimes, is feparated into fmall parcels,and tied, at intervals, with thread; and others tie it together behind, after the Englifh. manner, and ftick in it fome branches of the cu- ■prejfns thyoides.' Thus equipped, they have a truly favage and ridiculous appearance, which is much heightened when they aflume their mon- fterous decorations. Thefe confift of a great va¬ riety of wooden malks, applied to the face, fore¬ head, or upper part of the head. Some of thefe vifors refemble human faces, having hair, beards, and eye-brows; others reprefent the heads of birds, and many the heads of animals; fuch as deer, wolves, porpoifes, and others. Thefe reprefentations generally exceed the na¬ tural fize, and they are frequently ftrewed with pieces of the foliaceous mica, which makes them glitter, and augments their deformity. Some¬ times they even exceed this, and fix large pieces of carved work upon the head, projecting to a confiderable diftance, and refembling the prow of a canoe. So much do they delight in thefe difguifes, that, for want of another malk, we faw one of them thruft his head into a tin-kettle which he had bought from us. Whether thefe extravagant mafquerade orna¬ ments are ufed on any religious occafion, or in any kind of diverfion, or whether they are cal¬ culated to intimidate by their monftrous appear¬ ance, or as decoys when hunting animals, is un- R 3 certain. A VOYAGE TO THE 446 certain. But, if travellers, in an ignorant and credulous age, when more than marvellous things were fuppofed to exift, had feen feveral people decorated in this manner, and had not approach¬ ed fo near them as to be undeceived, they would have believed, and have endeavoured to make others believe, that a race of beings exifted, par¬ taking of the nature of man and beaft. Among the people of Nootka, one of thedreffes feems peculiarly adapted to war. It is a thick tanned leathern mantle doubled, and appears to be the fkin of an elk, or buffalo. This is faf- tened on in the ordinary manner, and is fo con¬ trived as to cover the bread quite up to the throat; part of it, at the fame time, falling down to their heels. This garment is, fometimes, very curioufly painted, and is not only ftrong enough to refill arrows, but, as we underftood from them, even fpears cannot pierce it; fo that it may be confidered as their compleateft defenlive armour. Sometimes they wear a fort of leathern cloak, over which are rows of the hopfs of deer, placed horizontally, and covered with quills; which, on their moving, make a loud rattling noife. Whether this part of their garb is intend¬ ed to flrike terror in war, or to be ufed on ce¬ remonious occafions, is uncertain; but we faw one of their mufical entertainments, which was conduced by a man habited in this manner, hav¬ ing a mafk on, and fhaking his rattle. t Though PACIFIC OCEAN. ■347 Though we cannot view thele people without a, kind of horror, when they are thus ftrangely apparelled, yet, when divefled of thefe extrava¬ gant dreffes, and beheld in their common habit, they have no appearances of ferocity in their coun¬ tenances; but, as has been already obferved, they feem to be of a quiet phlegmatic difpoAtion; deficient in animation and vivacity, to render themlelves agreeable in lociety. They are ra¬ ther referved than loquacious; but their gravity feems conftitutional, and not to arife from a con- viftion of its propriety, or to be the refult of any particular mode of education; for, in their higheft paroxyfms of rage, they have not heat of language, or fignificancy or geftures, to exprefs it fufficiently. The orations which they make on all public occafions, are little more than fhort fentences, and fometimes only Angle words, forcibly re¬ peated in one tone of voice, accompanied with a Angle gefture at every fentence; at the fame time jerking their whole body a little forward, with their knees bending, and their ams hanging down by their Ades. From their exhibiting human fkulls and bones to fale, there is little reafon to doubt of their treating their enemies with a degree of brutal cruelty; but, as this circumftance rather marks a general agreement of character among almofl: every uncivilized tribe, in every age and coun- R 4 try. A VOYAGE TO THE 248- try, they are not to be reproached with any charge of peculiar inhumanity. Their difpofition, in this refpeft, we had not any reafon to judge un¬ favourably of. They appear to be docile, cour¬ teous, and good-natured; but they are quick in refenting injuries, notwithftanding the predomi¬ nancy of their phlegm; and, like all other paf- iionate people, as quickly forgetting them. Thefe fits of paffion never extended farther than the parties immediatly concerned ; the lpedlators never entering into the merits of the quarrel, whether it was with any of us, or among their own people; {hewing as much indifference, as if they were wholly unacquainted with the whole tranfadlion. It was common to fee one of them rave and fcold, while all his agitation did not in the leaft excite the attention of his countrymen, and when we could not difcover the object of his difpleafure. They never betray the leaft fymp- tom of timidity upon thefe occafions, but feem refolutelydeterminedtopunilh theinfulter. With refpedt to ourfelves, they were under no appre- henfions about our fuperiority ; but, if any dif¬ ference arofe, were as anxious to avenge the wrong, as if the caufe of quarrel had been among themfelves. Their other paffions appear to lie dormant, efpe- cially their curiofity. Few expreffed any defire or inclination to fee or examine things with which they were unacquainted ; and which, to a curious obferver. PACIFIC OCEAN. 249 obferver, would have appeared aftonifhing. If they could procure the articles they knew and wanted, they were perfectly fatisfied ; regarding every thing elfe with great indifference. Nor did our perfons, drefs, and behaviour (though fo very different from their own) or even the fize and conflrtidtion of our fliips, feem to command their admiration or attention. Their indolence may, indeed, be a principal caufe of this. But it muff be admitted, that they are not wholly unfufceptible of the tender paf- fions, which is evident from their being fond of mufic, and that too of the truly pathetic kind. Their fongs are generally flow and folemn; but their mufic is lefs confined than that which is ufually found in other rude nations; the varia¬ tions being very numerous and expreffive, and the melody powerfully foothing. Befides their concerts, l'onnets were frequently fung by fingle performers keeping time by linking the hand againft the thigh. Though folemnity was pre¬ dominant in their mufic, they fometimes enter¬ tained us in a gay and lively ftrain, and even with a degree of pleafantry and humour. A rattle and a fmall whiffle, are the only in- ftruments of mufic which we have feen among them. The rattle is ufed when they fing; but upon what occafions the whiffle is ufed, we never knew, unlefs it be when they affume the figures of particular animals, and endeavour to imitate their 2$0 A VOYAGE TO THE their howl, or cry. We once law one of thefe people drefled in the fkin of a wolf, with the head covering his own, ftriving to imitate that animal, by making a fqueaking noife with a whiffle he had in his mouth. The rattles are ge¬ nerally in the fliape of a bird, with fmall pebbles in the belly, and the tail is the handle. fThey have another fort, which refembles a child’s rattle. Some of them difplayed a difpofition to kna¬ very, and, in trafficking with us, took away our goods without making any return. But of this we had few inftances, and we had abundant rea- fon to approve the fairnefs of their conduct. Their eagernels, however, to poflefs iron, brafs, or any kind of metal, was fo great, that, when an opportunity prefented itfelf, few of them could refill the temptation to fteal it. The natives of theSouth-feaiflands, as appears in many inftances, would fteal any thing they could find, without confidering whether it was ufeful to them or not. The novelty of the objedt, was a fufficient in¬ ducement for them to get poflefiion of it by any means. They were rather actuated by a childifh curiofity, than by a thievifh difpofition. The inhabitants of Nootka, who made free with our property, are entitled to no fuch apology. The appellation of thief is certainly due to them; for they knew that what they pilfered from us, might be converted to the purpofes of private utility; and. PACIFIC OCEAN. 2 5* and, according to their eftimation of things, was really valuable. Luckily for us, they fet no va¬ lue upon any of our articles, except the metals. Linens, and many other things were fecure from their depredations, and we could lafely leave them hanging out all night alhore, without being watched. The principle which prompted thefe people to pilfer from us, would probably ope¬ rate in their intercourfe with each other. We had, indeed, abundant reafon to believe, that dealing is very common ampngft them, and fre¬ quently produces quarrels, of which we faw more infiances than one. CHAP.- A VOYAGE TO THE 252 CHAP. VII. / Number of Inhabitants at Nootka Sound—Manner of building their Houfes—Defer iption of their Infde, Furniture, and Uienfils—Their Filthinefs — Wooden Images, called Klumma—Employments of the Men—Indolence of the young Men—Of the Women, and their Employments—Different Sorts of Food, and Manner of preparing it — Bows— Arrows — Spears—Slings, and other Weapons — ManufaSlures of Woollen, &c.—Mechanic Arts —Defign and Execution in Carving and Painting —Canoes—Implements ufed in Hunting and Fijh~ ing—Iron Tools common among them—Manner of procuring that, and other Metals—Language &c. T HE only inhabited parts of the Sound, feem to be the two villages already mentioned. A pretty exaft computation of the number of in¬ habitants in both, might be made from the canoes that vifited our Ihips, the fecond day after our arrival. They confided of about a hundred, which upon an average, contained at lead five perfons each. But, as there were very few women, old men, children, or youths, then among them, we may reafonably fuppofe, that the number of the inhabitants of the two villages could not be lefs Pacific ocean’. lefs than four times the number of our vifitors ; being two thoufand in the whole. The village which is fituated at the entrance of the Sound, Hands on the fide of a pretty fteep afcent, extending from the beach to the wood. The houfes eonfift of three ranges or rows, placed at almoft equal diftances behind each other, the front row being the largeft ; and there are a few {haggling houfes at each end. Thefe rows are interceded by narrow paths, or lanes, at irregular diftances; palling upward ; but tliofe between the "houfes are confiderably broader. Though this general difpofition has fome appearance of regu¬ larity, there is none in the refpedive houfes; for every divifion made by the.paths, may either be confidered as one or more houfes; there being no regular reparation to diftinguilh them by, either within or without. Thefe eredions eonfift of very long broad planks, refting upon the edges of each other, tied, in different parts, with withes of pine- bark, They have only {lender polls on the out- fide, at confiderable diftances front each other, to which they are alfo fattened ; but there are fome larger poles within, placed aftant. The fides and ends of thefe habitations are about feven or eight feet in height, but the back' part is fomewhat Jiigher. The planks, therefore, which compofe the roof, llantforward, and, being loofe, maybe ipoved at pleafure. They may either be put clofe :v ‘l ■ - ' to 254 A VOYAGE TO THE to exclude the rain, or feparated to admit the light in fine weather. Upon the whole, however, they are moft mife- rable dwellings, and difplay very little attention or ingenuity in their conftrudtion : for, though the fide-planks are pretty clofe to each other in fome places, they are quite open in others. Be¬ tides, thefe habitations have no regular doors, and can only be entered by a hole, which the unequal length of the planks has accidentally made. In the fides of the houfe they have alfo holes to look out at, ferving for windows ; but thefe are very irregularly difpofed, without attending, in the leaft, to the fhape and fize of them. Within the habitations, we have frequently a view from one end to the other of thefe ranges of building; for, though there are fome appearances of feparations on each fide, for the accommoda¬ tion of different perfons or families, they do not intercept the fight ; and generally confift of pieces of plank, extending from the fide to the middle of the houfe. On the fides of each of thefe parts is a little bench, about five or fix inches higher than the reft of the floor, covered with mats, whereon the family fit and fleep. The length of thefe benches is generally feven or eight feet, and the breadth four or five. The fire-place, which has, neither hearth nor chimney, is in the middle of the floor. One houfe in particular, was nearly feparated from the reft by a clofe partition; and this- PACIFIC OCEAN. 255 this was the moft regular building of any we had feen. In it there were four of thefe benches, each holding a Angle family at the corner; but it had not any feparation by boards, and the middle of the houfe feemed to be common to all the inha¬ bitants. The furniture of their houfes con fills princi¬ pally of chefts and boxes of various fizes, piled xipon each other, at the fides or ends of the houfe; in which are depofited their garments, Ikins, mafks, and other articles that are deemed valu¬ able. Many of them are double, or the upper one ferves as a lid to the other : fome have a lid faftened with thongs ; others, that are very large, have a fquare hole cut in the upper part, for the convenience of putting things in, or taking them out. They are frequently painted black, ftudded with the teeth of animals, or rudely carved with, figures of birds, &c. as decorations. They have alio fquare and oblong pails; round wooden cups and bowls; wooden troughs, of about two feet in length, out of which they eat their food ; bags of matting, bafkets of twigs, &c. Their implements for filling, and other things, are hung up, or fcattered in different parts of the houfe, without any kind of order, making, in the whole, a perfedt fcene of confufion; except on the fleeping benehes, which have nothing on them but the mats, which are of a fuperior quality to thofe 2$B A VOYAGE TO THE thofe that they ufually have to fit on in theif boats. The irregularity and confufion of their houfes is, however, far exceeded by their naftinefs and ftench. They not only dry their fifli within doors, but they alfo gut them there ; which, to¬ gether with their bones and fragments thrown upon the ground at meals, occafions feveral heaps of filth, which are never removed, till it becomes troubleiome, from their bulk, to pafs over them. Every thing about the houfe ftinks of train-oil, fifii, and fmoke ; and every part of it is as filthy a_s can be imagined. Notwithftanding all this filth and confufion, many of thefe houfes are decorated with images; •which are nothing more than the trunks of large trees, of the height of four or five feet, placed at the upper end of the apartment, with a human face carved on the front, and the hands and arms upon the fides. Thefe figures too are varioufly painted, and make, upon the whole, a molt ridi¬ culous appearance. Thefe images are generally- called Klumvia ; but the names of two particular ones, Handing abreaft of each other, at the dis¬ tance of about three or four feet, were Natchkoa and Mat feet a. A fort of curtain, made of mat,, ufually hung before them, which the natives were fometimes unwilling to remove : and when they did confent to unveil them, they feerned to ex- prefs themfelves in a very myfterious manner. It fi^erns pacific ocean. 2 57 feems probable that they fometimes make offer¬ ings to them ; for, if we rightly interpreted their hgns, they requefted us to give fomething to thefe images, when they drew the mats from before them. From thefe circumftances, it was natural for us to fuppofe that they were reprefentatives of their gods, or fome fuperftitious fymbols; and yet they were held in no very extraordinary degree of eflimation, for, with a fmall quantity of brafs, or iron, any perfon might have purchafed all the gods in the place. Mr. Webber, in drawing a view of the infideof a Nootka houfe, wherein' thefe figures are repre- fented, was interrupted, and hindered from pro¬ ceeding, by one of the inhabitants. Thinking a bribe would have a proper effe£t upon this occa- fion, Mr. Webber made him an offer of a button from his coat, which, being metal, immediately operated as it was intended, and he was at liberty to proceed as before. But foon after he had made a beginning, he was again interrupted by the fame man, who held a mat before the figures. He therefore gave him another button, and was fuffered again to proceed. He then renewed his former practice, till Mr. Webber had parted with every fingle button; and then permitted him to proceed without any farther obftrudtion. The men feem to be chiefly employed in fifh- ing, and killing animals for the fuftenance of Vol. II.—n° S their A VOYAGE TO THE 258 their families; few of them being feen engaged in any’bufinefs in their houfe$; but the womert were occupied in manufa&uring their garments, and in curing their fardines, which they alfo carry from the canoes to their houfes. The women alfo- go in the fmall canoes, to gather mufcles and- other fhell-frfh. They are as dexterous as the merr in the management of thefe canoes ; and when there are men in the canoes with them, they are paid very little attention to on account of their fex, none of the men offering to relieve them from the labour of the paddle. Nor do they ftiew them any particular refpedt or tendernefs on Other occafions. The young men are remarkably indolent; being generally fitting about, in fcattered companies, balking themfelves in the fun, or wallowing in the fand upon the beach, like fo many hogs, without anv kind of covering. This difregard of de¬ cency was, however, confined folely to the men. The women were always decently cloathed, and- behaved with great propriety; juftly meriting all commendation for a modeft bafhfulnefs, fo ,be¬ coming their fex. In them it is the more me¬ ritorious, as the men have not even afenfe of &ame.. Befides feeing fomething of their domeftic life and employments, we were enabled to form fome judgment of their difpofition, and method of living, from the frequent, vifits received from them PACIFIC OCEAN, 2 59 them at our fhips, in the canoes ; in which we underftoodthey pafs much of their time, efpecially in the fummer; for they not only eat and fleep frequently in them, but lie and balk themfelves in the fun, as we had feen them at their village. Their large canoes are, indeed, fufficiently fpa- cious for that purpofe ; and are, except in rainy weather, more comfortable habitations than their filthy houfes. Their greateft reliance for food feems to be 'upon theTea, as affording fifh, and fea-animals. The principal of the firfh are herrings and far- dines, two fpecies of bream, and fome fmall cod. The herrings and fardines not onlyferveto be eaten frefh in their feafon, but to be dried and Tmoked as (lores. The herrings alfo afford them another grand refource for food; which is a vaft ■quantity of roe, prepared in a very extraordinary manner. It is ftrewed upon fmall branches of the Canadian pine. It is alfo prepared upon a long Tea-grafs, which is found, in great plenty, upon the rocks under water. This caviare is preferved in bafkets of mat, and ufed occafionaily, after being dipped in water. It has no difagreeable tafte, and ferves thefe people as a kind of winter bread. They alfo eat the roe of fome other large fifh, that has a very rancid fmell and tafte. The large mufcle is an effential article of their food, which is found in great abundance in the' Sound. After roafting them in their ihells, they S 2 are 2-6o A VOYAGE TO THE are ftuck upon long wooden fkewers, and taker! off as they are wanted to be eaten, as they require no further preparation, though they are fometimes dipped in oil, as a fauce. The fmaller fhell-filh contribute to encreafe the 'general flock, but can¬ not be confidered as a material article of their food. The porpoife is more common among them as food than any of the fea-animals; the flelh and find of which they cut in large pieces, dry them as they do herrings, and eat them without far¬ ther preparation. They have alfd a very Angular manner of preparing a fort of broth from this animal, when in its frefti ftate. They put fome pieces of it in a wooden veffel or pail, in which there is alfo fome water, and throw heated Homes into it. This operation is repeatedly performed till the contents are fuppofed to be fufficiently flevved. The frefh flones are put in, and the others taken out, with a cleft flick, ferving as a pair of tongs ; the veffel being, for that purpofe, always placed near the fire. This is a common difh among them, and feems to be a very ftrong nourifhing food. From thefe, and other fea- animals, they procure oil in great abundance, which they ufed upon many occafions, mixed with other food, as fauce, and frequently lip it alone with a kind of fcoop made of horn. They probably feed upon other fea-animals, liich as whales, feals, and fea-otters; the fkins of the. ■PACIFIC OCEAN. 261 the two latter being common amongft them: and they are furnifhed with implements of all forts for the deftru&ion of thefe different animals, though perhaps they may not be able, at all fea- fons, to catch them in great plenty. No great number of frefh Ikins were to be feen while we lay in the Sound. The land-animals, at this time, appeared alfo to be fcarce, as we faw no flelh belonging to any of them ; and, though their fkins were to be had in plenty, they might, perhaps, have been procured by traffic from other tribes. It plainly appears, therefore, from a variety of circumftances, that thefe people are furnifhed with the principal part of their animal food by the fea ; if vve except a few gulls, and fotne other birds, which they fhoot with their arrows. Their only winter vegetables feem to be the Canadian pine-branches, and fea-grafs; but, as the fpring advances, they ufe others as they come in feafon. The moft common of thefe were two forts of liliaceous roots, of a mild fweetifh tafte, which are mucilaginous and eaten raw. The next is a root called aheitu , and has a tafte refembling liquorice. Another fmall, fweetifh root, about the thicknefs of JarJaparilla, is alfo eaten raw. As the feafon advances, they have doubtlefs many others which we did not fee. For, though there is not the leall appearance of cultivation among them, there are plenty of alder, goofeberry, and S 3 currant 262 A VOYAGE TO THE currant bulhes. One of the conditions, however, which they feem to require in all food, is, that it fhould be of the lefs acrid kind; for they would not touch the leek or garlic, though they fold us vaft quantities of it, when they underftood we liked it. They feemed, indeed, not to relilb any of our food and reje&ed our fpirituous liquors as fomething difgufting and unnatural. Small marine animals, in their frelh (fate, are fometimes eaten raw ; though it is their ordi¬ nary practice to roaft or broil their food ; for they are abfolute ftrangers to our method of boiling, as appears from their manner of preparing por- poife broth ; befides, as they have only wooden veffels, it is impoffible for them to perform fuch, an operation. Their manner of eating corre- fponds with the naftinefs of their houfes and per- fons; for the platters and troughs, out of which they eat their food, feem never to have been walhed fince their original formation; the dirty remains of a formal meal, being only fwept away by a fucceeding one. Every thing folid and tough, they tear to pieces with their hands and teeth; for though their knives are employed in cutting off the larger portion, they have not yet endeavoured to reduce thefe to mouthfuls by the fame means, though fo much more cleanly and convenient. But they do not poflels even an idea of cleanlinefs, and conftantly eat the roots which are dug from the ground, without at¬ tempting PACIFIC OCEAN. 263 tempting to ftiake off the foil that adheres to them. Whether they have any fet time for meals, we never certainly knew; having leen them eat at all hours in their canoes. But having feen le- veral meffes of porpoife broth preparing about noon, when we went to the village, they pro¬ bably make a principal meal about that time. They have bows and arrows, fpears, flings, fliort truncheons made of bone, and a fmall pick¬ axe, fomewhat refembling the common American tomahawk. Some of the arrows are pointed with iron,, aod others with indented bone; the fpear has ufually a long point made of bone. The tomahawk is a ftone of the length of feven or eight inches; one end terminating in a point, and, the other fixed into a wooden handle. This handle is intended to refemble the head and neck of a h,uman figure ; the ftone being fixed in the mouth fo as to reprefent a tongue of great mag¬ nitude. To heighten the refemblance, human hair is alfo fixed to it. This weapon is called taaweejh ; and they have another weapon made of ftone, which they call feeaik, about ten or tw elve inches long, having a fquare point. It may be reafonably concluded that they fre- qu ently engage in clofe combat, from the num- der of their ftone and other weapons; and we had very difagreeable proofs of their wars being both S 4 frequent 264 A VOYAGE TO TftE frequent and bloody, from the quantity of hu¬ man fkulls that were offered us to fale. The defigm and execution of their manufac-. tures and mechanic arts, are more extenfive and ingenious than could poffibly have been expect¬ ed, from the natural difpofition of the people, and what little progrefs they had made in civi¬ lization. The flaxen and woollen garments en¬ gage their firft care, as being the moft material of thofe that may be claffcd under the head of ma¬ nufactures, The former are fabricated from the bark of the pine-tree, beat into a mafs refembling hemp. After being prepared in a proper man¬ ner, it is fpread upon a flick, which is fattened to two others in an ereCt pofition. The manu¬ facturer, who fits on her hams at this fimple machine, knots it acrofs, at the diflance of about half an inch from each other, with fmall plaited threads. Though it cannot, by this method, be rendered fo cloie and firm as cloth that is woven, it is fufficiently impervious to the air, and is like- wife fofter and more pliable. Though their woollen garments are probably manufactured in the fame manner, they have much the appearance of a woven cloth ; but, the fuppofition of their being wrought in a loom is deftroyed, by the various figures that are inge- nioully inferted in them ; it being very impro¬ bable that thefe people fhould he able to produce fuch a complex work, except immediately by thei? PACIFIC OCEAN. their hands. They are of different qualities ; fome refembling our courfeft fort of blankets ; and others not much inferior to our fineft fort, and certainly both warmer and fofter. The wool, of which they are manufactured, feems to be produced by different animals, parti¬ cularly the fox and brown lynx ; that from the lynx is thefineft, and nearly refembles our coarfer wools in colour; but'the hair, which alfogrows upon the animal, being intermixed with it, the appearance of it is fomewhat different when wrought. The ornamental figures in thefe gar¬ ments are difpofed with great tafte, and are gene¬ rally of a different colour, being ufually dyed ei¬ ther of a deep brown or a yellow; the latter of which, when new, equals in brightnels the beft in our carpets. Their fondnefsfor carving on all their wooden articles,correfponds with their tafte in workingfi- gures upon their garments. Nothing is to be feen without a kind of freeze-work, or a reprefentation of fome animal upon it; but themoft general figure is that of the human face, which is frequently cut out upon birds, and the other monftrous things al¬ ready mentioned ; and even upon their weapons of bone and ftone. The general defign of thefe figures conveys a fufficient knowledge of the objeifts they are in¬ tended to reprefent; though, in the carving, very little dexterity is difplayed. But, in the execu¬ tion of many of the mafks and heads, they have fhewn a66 A VOYAGE TO THE fhewn themfelves ingenious fculptors. They, prefervd, with the greateft exa&nefs, the general character of their own faces, and finifh the more minute parts with great accuracy and neatnefs. That thefe people have a ftrong propenfjty to works of this fort, is obfervable in a variety of par¬ ticulars. Reprefentations of human figures; birds; beafts; fifh ; models of their canoes, and houfe- hold utenfils, were found among them in very • great abundance. Having mentioned their fkill in fome of the imitative arts, fuch as working figures in their garments, and engraving, or carving them in wood ; we may alfo add their drawing them in colours. The whole procefs of their whale fifiiery has been reprefented, in this manner, on the caps they wear. This indeed, was rudely executed, but ferved, at leaft, to convince us, that, though they have not the knowledge of letters amongft them, they have a notion of reprefenting a&ions, in a lafting way, exclufive of recording them in their fongs and traditions. “They have alfo other painted figures,which,perhaps,have no eftablifh- ed fignifications, and are only the creation of fan- cy or caprice. Though the ftructure of their canoes is fimple, they appear well calculated for every ufeful purpofe. The largeft, which contains upwards of twenty people, are formed of a fingle tree. The length, of many of them is forty feet, the breadth fe- ven, and the depth three. They become gra-, 4 dually' PACIFIC OCEAN. 267 dually narrower from the middle towards each end, the ftern ending perpendicularly, with a knob at the top. The fore-part ftretches for¬ wards and upwards, and ends in a point or prow, much higher than the fides of the canoe, which are nearly ftraight. The greateft part of them are without any ornament; fome have a little carving, and are ftudded with feals’ teeth on the furface. Some have alfo a kind of additional prow, ufually painted with the figure of fome animal. They have neither feats nor any other fupporters, on the infide, except fome fmall round flicks, about the fize of a walking cane, placed acrofs, about half the depth of the canoe. They are very light, and, on account of their breadth and flatnefs, fwim firmly, without an out-rigger, of which they are all deftitute. Their paddles, which are fmall and light, refembles a large leaf in fhape, being pointed at the bottom, broad in the middle, and gradually becoming narrower in the fhaft; the whole length being about five feet. By conftant ufe, they have acquired great dexte¬ rity in the management of thefe paddles ; but they never make ufe of any fails. For fifhing and hunting, their inflruments are i ngenioufly con trived,and completely mad e. They coniift of nets, hooks, and lines, harpoons, gigs, and an inftrument refembling an oar. The lat¬ ter is about twenty feet in length, four or five inches in breadth, and of the thicknefs of half an inch. A VOYAGE TO THE s6S inch. The edges, for about two-thirds of its length, are fet with (harp bone-teeth, about two inches in length; the other third ferving for a handle. With this inftrument they attack her¬ rings and fardines, and fuch other fifth as come in lhoals. It is (truck into the (hoal, and the filh are taken either upon,or between the teeth. Their hooks, which are made of bone and wood, dif- play no great ingenuity; but the harpoon, which is ufed in ftriking whales, and other fea-animals, manifefts a great extent of contrivance. It con- fift$ of a piece of bone, formed into two barbs, in which the oval blade of a large mufcle-(hell, and the point of the inftrument; is fixed. Two or three fathoms of rope is fattened to this harpoon, and in throwing it, they ule a (haft of about fifteen feet long, to which the rope is fattened ; to one end of which the harpoon is fixed fo as to leave the draft floating, as a buoy upon the water, when the animal is (truck with the harpoon. We are ftrangers to the manner of their catch¬ ing or killing land animals, but, it is probable, that they (hoot the fmaller forts with their ar¬ rows; and encounter bears, wolves, and foxes, wjth their fpears. They have feveral forts of nets, which are perhaps applied to that purpofe ; it being cuftomary for them to throw them over their heads, to fignify their ufe, when they of¬ fered them for fail. Sometimes they decoy ani¬ mals, by difguiiing themfelves with a (kin, and running PACIFIC OCEAN, 269 running upon all fours, in which they are re¬ markably nimble; making, at the fame time, a kind of noife, or neighing. The mafks, or carved heads, as well as the dried heads of dif¬ ferent animals, are ufed upon thefe occafions. Every thing of the rope kind which'they ufe in making their various articles, is formed either from thongs of Ikins, and finews of^nimals, or from the flaxen fubftance, of which they ma¬ nufacture their mantles. The finews were fome- times fo remarkably long,.that it was hardly pof- fible they could have belonged to any other ani¬ mal than the whale. The fame conjecture may be hazarded with regard to the bones, of which they make their inftruments and weapons. The afliftance they receive from iron-tools, contributes to their dexterity in wooden per¬ formances. Their implements are almoft wholly made of iron; at leaft, we faw but one chifiel that was not made of that metal, and that was only of bone. The knife and the chifiel are the pricipal forms that iron affiimes atnongft them. The chifiel confifts of a flat long piece, fattened into a wooden handle. A ftone is their mallet, and a bit of fifh-lkin their polifher. Some of thefe chifiels were nine or ten inches in length, and three or four ip. breadth; but they were, in general, confideraMfclmaller. Some of their knifes are very large, and thejp blades are crookejJ; the edge being on the back or A VOYAGE TO THE 270 or convex part. What we have feen among them, were about the breadth and thicknefs of an iron-hoop; and their fingular form fufficifently proves that they are not of European make. Thefe iron-tools are Sharpened upon a coarfe Slate whetftone, and the whole inftrument is kept con¬ tinually bright. Iron is called by the natives feekemaile, a name Which they alfo give to tin, and other white metals. It being fo common among thefe peo¬ ple, we were anxious to difcover how it could be conveyed to them. As foon as we arrived in the Sound we perceived that they had a know¬ ledge of traffic and an inclination to.purfue it; and we were afterwards convinced that they had not acquired this knowledge from a curfory in¬ terview with any Strangers, but it feemed ha¬ bitual to them and was a practice in which they were well Skilled. With whom they carry on this traffic, we can¬ not afceftain; for, though we faw feveral articles of European manufacture, or fuch, at leaft, as had been derived from fome civilized nation, fuch as braSs and iron, it does not certainly follow that they were received immediately from thefe nations. For we never could obtain the leaft in¬ formation of their having feen Ships, like ours, before, nor of their having been engaged in com- 'cnerce with fuch people. Many eircumftances corroborate to prove this beyond a doubt. On our PACIFIC OCEAH. 27I. our arrival, they were earned in their enquiries, whether we meant to fefle amongft them, and whether we were friendly vifitors; informing us, at the fame time, that they freely gave us wood and water from motives of friendfhip. This fufficiently proves, that they considered themfelves as proprietors of the place, and dread¬ ed no fuperiority : for it would have been an un¬ natural enquiry, if any (hips had been here be¬ fore, and had fupplied themfelves with wood and water, and then departed ; for they might then reafonably expect that we lhould do the fame. It mud be admitted, indeed, that they exhibited no marks of furprize at beholding our (hips; but this may, with great propriety, be attributed to their natural indolence of temper, and their want¬ ing a thirdof curiofity. They were never dartled at the report of a mufquet, till they, one day, fhew'ed us that their hide-drefles were impene¬ trable to their fpears and arrows ; when one of our people fhot a mufquet ball through one .of them that had been fix times folded. Their ado- nifhment at this, plainly indicated their igno¬ rance of the effedt of fire-arms. This was after¬ wards very frequently confirmed, when we ufed them to (hoot birds, at which they appeared greatly confounded. And our explanation of the piece, together with the nature of its operation, with the aid of (hot and ball, (truck them fo forcibly A VOYAGE TO THE 272 forcibly, as to convince us of their having n<3 previous ideas on this matter. Though fome account of a voyage to this coaft, by the Spaniards, in 1774, or 1775, had arrived in England before we failed, the circumftances juft mentioned fufficiently prove, that thefe fhips had never been atNootka*. It was alfo evident, that iron would not have been in fo many hands, nor would the ufe of it have been fo well known, if they had fo lately obtained the firft knowledge of it. From their general ufe of this metal, it pro¬ bably comes from fome conftant fource, in the way of traffic, and they have perhaps been long fupplied with it; for they ufe their tools with as much dexterity as the longeft pra&ice can ac¬ quire. The mod natural conjecture, therefore, is, that they trade for their iron with other In¬ dian tribes, who may have fome communication with European fettlements upon that continent, or receive it through feveral intermediate nati¬ ons. By the fame means they probably obtain their brafs and copper. Not only the rude materials, but fome manu¬ factured articles feem to find their way hither. The brafs ornaments for nofes are made in fo mafterly a manner, that the Indians cannot be * It has fince appeared, that they were not within two degrees of Nootka, and probably the inhabitants of that place never heard of thefe Spanifh fhips. o fup- PACIFIC OCEAN. 2 73 fuppofed capable of fabricating them. We are certain, that the materials are European, as all the American tribes are ignorant of the method of making brafs; though copper has been fre¬ quently met with, and, from its du&ility, might ealily be falhioned into any lhape, and polilhed. If fuch articles are not ufed by our traders to Hudfon’s Bay and Canada, in their traffic with the natives, they mud have been introduced at Nootka from Mexico; whence, it is probable, the two filver table fpoons were originally de¬ rived. Little knowledge can we be fuppofed to have acquired of the political and religious inftituti- ons eftablifhed among thefe people. We dif- covered, however, that there were fuch men as chiefs, diftingui'lhed by the title of Acweek, tc> whom the others are, in fome degree, fubordi- nate. But the authority of each of thefe great men, feems to extend no farther than to his own family, who acknowledge him as their head. A s they were not all elderly men, it is poffible this title may be hereditary. Nothing that we faw could give us any infight into their notions of religion, except the figures already mentioned, called Khtmma. Thefe, per¬ haps, were idols; but, as the word acweek was frequently mentioned when they fpoke of them. We may fuppofe them to be the images of forne of their anceftors, whofe memories they venerate* Vgl. II.— n® ii. T 'This' A VOYAGE TO THE This, however, is ail conjecture, for we could receive no information concerning them,* know¬ ing little more of their language than to enabled us to afk the names of things, and being inca¬ pable of holding any converfation with the na- tives, relative to their traditions, or their infti- tutions. Their language is neither harfb nor difagree^ able, farther than proceeds from their pronoun¬ cing the l and h with lefs foftnefs than we do. As to the compofition of their language, we are enabled to fay but little. It may, however, be inferred, from their flow and diftinft method of fpeaking, that it has few prepofitions or conjunc¬ tions, and is deftitute of even a fingle interjec¬ tion to exprefs furprize or admiration. The af¬ finity it may bear to other languages, we have not been able fufficiently to trace, not having proper fpecimens to compare it with; but, from the few Mexican words we have procured, there is an obvious agreement, throughout the lan¬ guage, in the frequent terminations of the words in /, tl y or z. The word 'wakajli was frequently ilv the mouths of the people of Nootka. It feemed to exprefs approbation, applaufe, and friendfhip. When¬ ever they appeared to be pleafed or fatisfied at any fight or occurrence, they would call out wakajli! wakajli !—It is worthy of remark, that as thefe people fo effentially differ from the na¬ tives 3 PACIFIC OCEAN, 2 75 lives of the iflands in the Pacific Ocean, in their perfons, cuftoms, and language, we cannot fup- pofe their refpedtive progenitors to have be¬ longed to the fame tribe, when they emigrated into thofe places where we now find their de- fcendants. C H A P. IV 4 A Stdrm—The Refolutionfprings a Leak—Progress of the Ships along the North-American Coaf— An Inlet named Crofs Sound—Beering’s Bay — Cape Suckling—Account of Kay's If and—Our Ships anchor near Cape Hinchinghroke—The Na¬ tives vifit us—Their Fondnefs for Beads and Iron—Their daring Attempt to carry of one of our Boats—They alfo attempt to plunder-the Dif- covery—ProgreJs up he Sound—Mr, Gore and the Mafer fent to examine its Extent—Montague If and—The Ships leave the .Sound. W E have already mentioned, thatwe put to fea, in the evening of the 26th of .April, with manifeft indications of an approach¬ ing ftorrn; and thefe figns did not deceive us. We had fcarce failed out of the found, when the T 2 wind A VOYAGE TO THE £ 76 wind ihifted from north-eaft to fouth-eaft by eaft, and blew a ftrong gale, with fqualls and rain, the Iky being at the fame time uncommonly dark. Being apprehenfive of the winds veering more to the fouth, which would expofe us to the dan¬ ger of a lee-fhore, we got the tacks on board, and made all the fale we could to the fouth-weft. It fortunately happened, that the wind veered no further towards the fouth, than fouth-eaft; fo that, early the next morning, we were entirely clear of the coaft. Captain Gierke’s Ihip being at fome diftance aftern, the Commodore brought to, till Ihe came up, and then both velfels fteer- ed a north-wefterly courfe. The wind blew with great violence, and the weather was thick and hazy. Between one and two o’clock in the af¬ ternoon, there was a perfetk hurricane ; fo that the Commodore deemed it exceedingly dange¬ rous to run any longer before it: he therefore brought the fhips to, with their heads to the fouth. in this fituation, the Refolution fprung a leak, in her ftarboard quarter, which, at .firft, alarmed us extremely; but, after the water was baled out, which kept us employed till mid¬ night, it was kept under by means of one pump.. The wind having, in the evening, veered to the fbuthward, its fury in fome meafure abated; upon which we ftretched to the weft ; but about eleven, the gale again incrcafed, and continued till PACIFIC OCE^N. 2 77 till five the next morning, when the ftorm be¬ gan to moderate. The weather now clearing up, we were able to fee feveral leagues around us, and fleered more to the north. Xt noon, our longitude was 229° 26' eaft; and our latitude, 50° x / north. We now fleered north-weft by north, with a frefh gale, and fair weather. But, towards the even¬ ing, the wind again blew hard, with fqualls and rain. With this weather, we continued the fame courfe till the 30th, when we fleered north by ■weft, intending to make the land. Captain Cook regretted that he could not do it fooner, as we were now paffing the fpot where the pretended ftrait of Admiral de Fonte has been placed by geographers. Though the Captain gave no credit to fuch vague and improbable flories, he was de¬ ft rous of keeping the coaft of America aboard, that this point might be cleared up beyond dif- pute. But he confidered, that it would have been very imprudent to have engaged with the land while the weather was fo tempeftuous, or to have loft the advantage of a fair wind, by wait¬ ing for lefs flormy weather. This day, at twelve o’clock, our latitude was 53? 22'' north, and our longitude 225 0 14 ' eaft. On.Friday, the ill of May, not feeing land, we fleered to the north-eafl, having a frefh breeze at fouth-fouth-eaft and fouth, with fqualls and fhowers of hail and rain. About feven o’clock T 3 278 A VOYAGE TO THE in the evening, we defcried the land, at the dif- tance of twelve or fourteen leagues. At four the next morning, the coaft was feen from louth-eaft to north by weft, the neareft part of it being five or fix leagues diftant. At this time, the northern point of an inlet, or, at leaft, what appeared be one^bore eaft by fouth ; and from it to the northward, there feemed to be many bays and harbours along the coaft. At fix o’clock, mak¬ ing a nearer approach to the land, we fleered north-weft by north, this being the dire&ion of the coaft; and between eleven and twelve, we palled a clufter of little illands fituate near the continent, to the northward of the fouthern point of an extenfive bay. An arm of this bay feemed to extend in towards the north, behind a round lofty mountain that Hands between it and the fea. To this mountain Captain Cook gave the name of Mount Edgecumbe; and the point of land projecting from it, he called Cape Edgecumbe, The latitude of this cape is 57 0 north, and its longitude 224 0 7' eaft. The land, except in fome parts clofe to the fea, is of a confiderable height, abounding with hills. Mount Edge¬ cumbe, which far out-tops all the reft, was en¬ tirely covered with fnow, as were alio the other elevated hills; but the lower ones, and the flatter fpots near the fea, were deftitute of it, and co-, vered with wood. PACIFIC OCEANA 2 79 ji.n our progrefs to the northward, we found that the coaft from Cape Edgecumbe trended to the north and north-eaft for fix or feven leagues* and there formed a fpacidus bay. There being fome iflands in the entrance of this bay, the Commodore named it the Bay of Iflands. It feeiped to branch out into feveral arms, one of which turned towards the fouth, and may per¬ haps communicate with the bay on the eaftern fide of Cape Edgecumbe, and thi^s render the land of that cape an ifland. On the gd, at half an hour after four in the morning. Mount Edge¬ cumbe bore fouth 54 0 eaft, a large inlet, north 5Q 0 eaft; and the mod advanced point of land towards the north-weft, lying under a very lofty peaked mountain, which obtained the appellation of Mount Fair-Weather, bore north 32° weft. The inlet we nambd Crofs Sound, having firft obferved it on the day fo marked in our calen¬ dar. The fouth eaftern point of this Sound is an elevated promontory, which we diftinguiflied by the name of Crofs Cape. To the point under the above-mentioned peaked mountain, we gave the natne of Cape Fair-Weather. At noon, this cape was diftant twelve or thirteen leagues. We had now light breezes from the north * weft, which continued feveral days. We fleered to the fouth weft, and weft-fouth-weft, till the morning of the 4th, when we tacked and' flood £Qw^rds the fhore. At twelve o’clock, Mount T 4 F&iiv A VOYAGE TO THE 2 80 Fair Weather bore north 63* eaft, and the flioro under it was about a dozen leagues diftant. This mount is the higheft of a chain or ridge of moun¬ tains, that rife at the north-weftern entrance of Crofs Sound, and extend towards the north-weft, parrellel with the coaft. Thefe mountains were covered with fnow, from the higheft fummit down to the fea-coaft; except a few places, where we could difcern trees that feemed to rife, as it were, from the fea. About five o’clock in the afternoon* the top of a high mountain appeared above the horizon, bearing north 26® weft, and, as we afterwards found, near forty leagues dif¬ tant. We fuppofed that it was the mount St. Elias, of Commodore Beering. We faw, in the courfe of this day, feveral poipoifes, feals, aild whales; alfo great numbers of gulls, and many flocks of birds which had a black circle about the head, and a black band on the tip of the tail and upper part of the wings, the reft being white below and blueifh above. We iikewife obferved a brownifh duck, with a blackifn or dark blue head and neck. As we had light winds, with occafional calms, we proceeded but (lowly. On the 6tb, at mid¬ day, the neareft land was at the diftance of about eight leagues. In a north-eafterly direftion, there appeared to be a bay, and an ifland near its fouthern point, covered with wood. This is pro¬ bably the place where Beering anchored. South¬ ward PACIFIC OCEAN. 2&l ward of the bay (which Captain Cook named .Beering’s Bay, in honour of its difcoverer) the ridge of mountains, already mentioned, is inter¬ rupted by a plain of fcveral leagues in extent, be¬ yond which the fight was unbounded. In the afternoon, we founded, and found a muddy bot¬ tom at the depth of about feventy fathoms. Soon afterwards, having-a light northerly breeze, we fleered to the weftward; and at noon, the next day, we were at the diftance of four or five leagues from the finore. From this ftation we could per¬ ceive a bay under a high land, with low wood¬ land on each fide of it. We now found that the coaft trended confiderably to the weft; and as we had but little wind, and that chiefly from the weftward, we made a flow progrefs. On the 9th, about noon. Mount St Elias bore north 30° eaft, at the diftance of nineteen leagues. This moun¬ tain ftands twelve leagues inland, in thelongitude of 219 0 eaft, and in the latitude of 6 o° 27' north. It belongs to a ridge of very lofty mountains, which may be reckoned a kind of continuation of the former, being feparated from them only by the plain before-mentioned. On Sunday the 10th, at twelve o’clock, we were about three leagues diftant from the coaft of the continent, which extended from eaft half north, to north-weft half weft. To the weftward of the* latter direction was an ifland, at the dif¬ iance of fix league?. A point which the the Com¬ modore A VOYAGE TO THE gSa tnodore named Cape Suckling, projects towards the north-eaftern end of this ifland. The extre¬ mity of the cape is low; but, within it, (lands a hill of confiderable height, which is divided from the mountains by low land; fo that the cape, at a diPtance, has an infular appearance. On the north fide of Cape Suckling is a bay, which feemed to beextenfive, and to be flicker¬ ed from molt winds. Captain Cook had fome thoughts of repairing to this bay, in order to flop the leak of his fliip, all our endeavours to effecl that purpofe at fea having proved fruitlefs. We therefore fleered for the cape; but, having only . variable light breezes, we advanced towards it ilowly. Before night, however, we had approach¬ ed near enough to fee fome low land projecting from the cape to the north-weft; we alfo obferv- ed fome little iftands in the bay, and feveral ele¬ vated rocks between the cape and the north- eaftern extremity of the ifland. As there ap¬ peared to he apaffage on each fide of thefe rocks, we continued fleering thither the whole nio-ht. Early the next morning, the wind fhifted from north-eaft to north. This being againft us, the Commodore relinquifiyed hisdefignof going into the bay, and bore upforthe weftend of theifiand. There being a calm about ten o’clock, he em¬ barked in a boat, and landed on the ifland, with ,a view of feeing what lay on the other fide; but finding that the hills were at a greater diftance tli a# than he expected, and that the way was woody and fteep, he laid afide that intention. On 4 fmall eminence near the fhore, he left, at the foot of a tree, a bottle containing a paper, on which the names of our {hips, and the date of our dif- ■covCry, wrnre infcribed : he alfo inclofed tw r o ftlver two-penny pieces of Englifh coin, which, with many others, had been furnifhed him by Dr. Kay, now Dean of Lincoln; and, in teftimony of bis efteem for that gentlemen, he diftinguifhed the ifland by the name of Kay’s Ifland. This ifle does not exceed twelve leagues in length, and its breadth is not above a league and a half in any part of it. The fouth-weft point -whofe latitude is 59 0 49'' north, and longitude ,5216° gS / eaft, is a naked rock, confiderably ele¬ vated above the land within it. There is alfo a high rock lying off it, which, when feen in fome particular directions, has the appearance of a ru¬ inous caftle. The ifland terminates, towards the fea, in bare Hoping cliffs, with a beach confifting; of large pebbles, intermixed in fome places with a clayey fand. The cliffs are compofed of a blueifh done or rock, and are, except in a few parts, in a foft or mouldering ft ate. Some parts of the fhore are interupted by fmall vallies an4 gullies, in each of which a rivulet or torrent rufhes down with a confiderable degree of impe- tuofity; though, perhaps, only furnifhed from (the fnow, and failing no longer than till the whole A VOYAGE TO THE *84 is diffolved. Thefe vallies are filled with pine- trees; and they alfo abound in other parts of the ifiand, which, indeed, is covered, as it were, with a broad girdle of wood. The trees, however, are far from being of an extraordinary growth ; few of theirs feeming to be larger than what a pcr¬ ib n might grafp round with his arms, and their general height being forty or fifty feet; fo that they would be of no great fervice for fbipping, except as material for making top gallant maffe, and other fmall things. The pine-trees appeared to be all of one fpecies ; and neither the Cana¬ dian pine, nor cyprefs, was to be feen. Upon the edges of the cliffs, the furface was covered with a kind of tur£ about fix inches thick, apparently compofed of the common mofs; and the upper part of the ifiand had nearly the fame appearance in point of colour; but that which covered it, whatever it was, feemed to be thicker* Among the trees were fome currant and hawberry bufhes, a yellow-flowered violet, and the leaves of other plants not yet in flower, particular one which was fuppofed by Mr. An- derfon to be the heracteum of Linnseus. A crow was feen flying about the wood ; two or three white headed eagles, like thofe of Noot- ka, were alfo obferved; befides another fpecies equally large, which had a white breaft. The Commodore likewife faw, in hispaffage from the Ihip to the fhore, | number of fowls fitting on the ■t^ACIFItj "OCEAKi the water; or flying about; the principal of which were gulls, burres, (hags, ducks, or large petrels, divers, and quebrantahuefles. The divers were of two forts; one very large, whofe colour was black, with a white belly and breaft; the other of a fmailer fifee, with a longer and more pointed bilk The ducks were alio of two fpe-* cies; one hrownifli, with a dark-blue or blackiftt head and neck: the other fmailer, and of a dirty black colour. The fhags were large and black, having a white fpot behind the wings. The gulls were of the common fort, flying in flocks. There was alfo a fingle bird flying about, ap¬ parently of the gull kind, whofe colour was a fnowy white, with feme black along part of the tipper fide of its wings. At the place where our party landed, a fox came from the verge of the wood, and eyeing them with little emotion, walked leifurely on without manifefting any figns of fear* He was not of a large fize, and his colour was a reddifh yellow. Two or three fmall feals were likewife feen near the fliore ; but no traces were difeoveredof inhabitants having ever been in the if] and. Captain Cook, with thofe who accompanied him, returned on board in the afternoon, and, with a light breeze from the eaft, we fleered for the fouth weft fide of the ifiand, which we got round by eight o’clock in the evening: we then flood for the wefternraoft land that was now in fight. At a Voyage to firs m At the north-eaft end of Kay’s Ifland (lands ari&* ther ifland, extending north-weft and fouth- eaft about nine miles, to within the fame diftance of the north-weftern boundary of the bay mentioned before, to which the appellation of Comptroller’s Bay was given. Eariy the next morning Kaye’s Ifland was ftill in fight, bearing eaft by fouth; and, at this time, we were at the diftance of four or five leagues from the main. At noon, the eaftern point of a fpacious inlet bore weft-north- weft, about three leagues diftant. From Comp¬ troller’s Bay to this point, which the Commodore named Cape Hinchinbroke, the direction of the coaft is nearly eaft and weft* Beyond this, it appeared to incline towards the fouth ; a direftion Very different from that which is marked out in themodern charts, founded on the late difcoveries of the Ruffians ; infomuch that we had fome rea- fon to expe£l, that we fhould find, through the inlet before us, a paifage to the north, and that the land to the weft and fouth-weft was a group of iflands. The wind was now fouth-eafterly, and we were menaced with a fog and a ftorm ; and Captain Cook was defirous of getting into fome place to flop the leak, before we had ano¬ ther gale to encounter. We therefore fleered for the inlet, which we had no fooncr reached, than the weather became exceedingly foggy, and it was deemed neteffary that the fhips fhould be fe- fcured in fome place or other, till the fky fhould clear PACIFIC OCEAN'. 2' 87 Clear up. Witn this view we hauled clofe under Cape Hinchingbroke, and call anchor before a fmall cove, over a clayey bottom, in eight fa¬ thoms water, at the dillance of about two fur¬ longs from the Ihore. Soon after we had anchored, the boats werb hoifted out, fome to filh, and others to found. The feine, at the fame time, was drawn in the cove; but without fuecefs, as it was torn. At intervals the fog cleared away, and gave us a view of the neighbouring land. The cape was one league diftant; the weltern point of the inlet, five leagues; and the land on that fide extended to well by north. Between this point and north- well by well, we could difcern no land. The moll welierly point we had in view on the north. Ihore, was at the dillance of two leagues. Be¬ twixt this point, and the Ihore under which our Ihips now lay at anchor, is a bay about three leagues deep, on the fouth-eallern fide of which are feveral coves; and, in the middle, {land fome rocky iflands. Mr. Gore was difpatched in a boat to thefe iflands, in order to Ihoot fome birds that might ferve for food. He had fcarcely reached them, when about twenty natives appeared, in two largo canoes; upon which he returned to the Ihips, and they followed him. They were unwilling, however, to venture along-fide, but kept at a bale dillance, /homing aloud, and elalping and extend- VOYAGE TO THE sSS extending their arms alternately. They then,be¬ gan a kind of fong, much after the manner of the inhabitants of King George’s or Nootka Sound. Their heads were ftrewed with feathers, and one of them held out a white garment, which we fup- Jiofedwasintendedasatokenof friendlhip; while another, for near a quarter of an hour, flood dp in the canoe, entirely naked, with his arms ex¬ tended like a crofs, and motionlefs. Their canoes were conftru(fledupon a different plan from thofe of Nootka. The frame confifted of flender laths, and the outfide was formed of the fkins of feals, or other animals of a fimilar kindi Though we returned their figns of amity, and endeavoured, by the moft exprefiive geftures, to encourage them to come along-fide, we were unable to prevail upon them. Though fome of our people repeat¬ ed feveral of the moft common words of the lan¬ guage of Nootka, fueh as mahook and feekemaik , they did not appear to underftand them. After the had received fome prefents that were thrown to them, they retired towards the {hare, intimat¬ ing, by figns, that they would pay us another vifit the next morning. Two of them, however, came offto us in the night, each in a lmall canoe ; hoping, perhaps, that they might find us all afleep, and might have an opportunity of pilfer¬ ing; for they went away as foon as theperceived themfelves difeovered. The 2 PACIFIC OCEAN* 2$ 9 The wind, during the night, blew hard and in fqualls, with rain, and thick-hazy weather,- The next morning, about ten, the wind becom¬ ing more moderate, and the weather in fome meafure clearing up, we got up our anchors and made fail, in order to fearch for fome convenient place where we might Hop the leak, as our pre¬ lent ftation was too much expofed for that pur- pofe. Captain Cook at firft propofed to have gone up the bay before which our (hips had an¬ chored ; but he was afterwards induced by the clearnefs of the weather, to fteer towards the north, further up the great inlet. After we had paffed the north-weft point of the above menti¬ oned bay, we found that the coaft, on that fide, inclined to the eaftward. We did not follow it, but proceeded on our courfe to the northward, for a point of land which we obferved in that direction. The Americans who had vifited us the pre¬ ceding day, came off again in the morning, in live or fix canoes; but as they did not come till after we were under fail, they were unable to .reach the Ihips, though they followed us for a confiderable time. In the afternoon, before two o’clock, the unfavourable weather returned, with fo thick a haze, that we could difcern no other land but the point juft mentioned, off which we arrived between four and five o’clock, and found it to be a little illand, fituated at the diftance of \ol. II. n°. ii, U about 2$0 A VOYAGE TO THE about two miles from the neighbouring coaft, being a point of land on the eaftern fide of ■which we difcovered an excellent bay, or rather harbour. To this we plied up, while the wind blew in very hard fqualls, accompained with rain. Though, at fome intervals, we could fee land in every direction, yet, in general, there was fo great a fog, that we could only perceive the fhores of the bay for which we were now (leering. In palling the illand, we found a muddy bottom, at the depth of twenty-fix fathoms. Not long after, we found fixty and feventy fathoms, over a rocky bottom ; and, in the entrance of the bay, the depth of water was from thirty to fix fathoms. At length, about eight o’clock, we were obliged, by the violencp of the fqualls, to call anchor in thirteen fathorhs water, before we had proceeded fo far into the bay as the Commodore intended ; but we thought ourfelves fortunate in having the fhipsalready fecured; for the night was extremely tempefluous. Though the weather was fo turbulent, the na¬ tives were not deterred from paying us a vifit. Three of them came off in two canoes ; two men in one, and one in the other, being the num¬ ber that each canoe could carry. For they were conftrudled nearly in the fame manner with thofe of the Efquimaux, except that in one of them were two holes for two perfons to fit in, and in the other but one. Thefe men had each a flick, of i PACIFIC OCEAN. apt of the length of about three feet, with the large feathers, or wings of birds, fattened to it. Thefe they frequently held up to us, probably as tokens of peace. The treatment thefe three received, induced many others to vifitus, between one and two o’clock the following morning, in both great and fmall canoes. Some of them ventured on board the Refolution, though not before fome of our people had ftepped into their boats. Among thofe who came on board, was a middle-aged man, who, as we afterwards found, was the chief. His drti's was made of the Ikin of the fea-otter, and he had on his head fuch a cap as is worn by the inhabitants of Nootka, embellifhed with iky-blue glafs beads. He appeared to value thefe much more than our white glafs beads. Any kind of beads, however, feemed to be in high, eftimation among thefe people, who readily gave in exchange for them whatever they had, even their fine fea-otter Ikins. They were very defirous of iron, but abfolutely rejected fmall bits, and wanted.pieces nine or ten inches long at leaft, and of the breadth of three or four fingers. They obtained but little of this commodity from us, as, by this time, it was become rather fcarce. The' points of fome of their fpears were of this metal; others were of copper; and a few were of bone ; of which laft the points of their arrows, darts, &c. were formed. U 2 The A VOYAGE TO THE 492 The chief could not be prevailed upon to ven¬ ture below the upper deck, nor did he - and his companions continue long on board. While they were with us, it was neceffary to watch them narrowly, as they foon manifefted an inclination for thieving. At length, when they had been three or four hours along-fide the Refolution, they all quitted her, and repaired to the Difco- very, which fhip none of them had before been onboard of, except one man, who came from her at this very time, and immediately returned to her, in company with the others. As foon as they had departed from our fhip. Captain Cook difpatched a boat to found the head of the bay, for, as the wind was moderate at prefent, he had an intention of laying the fhip afhore, if a proper place could be found for the procefs of {topping the leak. Soon afterwards all the Americans quitted the Difcovery, and made their way to¬ wards our boat that was employed in founding. The officer who was in her, obferving their ap¬ proach, returned to the fhip, and all the canoes followed him. The crew of the boat had no fooner repaired on board, leaving in her, by way of guard, two of their number, than feveral of the natives ftepped into her ; fome of whom pre- fented their fpears before the two men, while others loofed the rope by which fhe was fattened to the fhip, and the reft were fo daring as to at¬ tempt to tow her away. But the moment they faw PACIFIC OCEAN. 2 93 faw that we were preparing tooppole them, they let her go, ftepped out of her into their own boats, and made figns to us to perluade us to lay down our arms, being, to all appearance, perfedly un¬ concerned. This attempt, though a very bold one, was fcarce equal to what they had meditated on board Captain Clerke’s fhip. The man whom we men¬ tioned before as having conduced his country¬ men from the Refolution to the Difcovery, had firft been on board of the latter ; where looking down all the hatchways, and obferving no one except the officer of the watch, and one or two others, he doublefs imagined that fhe might be plundered with eafe, particularly as fhe was fta- tioned at fome diftance from the Refolution. It was unqueftionably with this intent, that the na¬ tives went off to her. Several of them went on board without the lead ceremony, and drawing their knives, made figns to the officer, and the other people upon deck, to keep off, and began to fearch for plunder. The firft thing theyaid hold of was the rudder of one of our boats, which they immediately threw overboard to thofe of their party who had continued in the canoes. But before they had time to find another objecl that ftruck their fancy, the IhipVcrew were alarmed, and many of them, armed with cutlaffes came upon deck. On obferving this, the plunderers all fneaked off into their canoes, with evident IJ 3 marks *94 a voyage to the marks of indifference. It was f t this time, that our boat was occupied in founding, as we have already mentioned ; and the natives, without de¬ lay, proceeded towards her, after the difappoint- ment they had met with acthe Difcovery. Their vifiting us fo early in the morning was undoubt¬ edly with a view of plundering, on a fuppofition that they fhould find all our people afleep. From the circumftances above related, it may reafonably be inferred, that thefe people are not acquainted with fire-arms. For, had they known any thing of their effect, they would by no means- have ventured to attempt carrying off a boat from under afhip’s guns, in the face of upwards of a hundred men; for rood of the Refolution’s peo¬ ple were looking at them, at the very inftant of their making the attempt. However, we left them as ignorant, in this particular, as we found them; for they neither faw nor heard a mufquet fired, except at birds. As we were on the point of weighing anchor, in order to proceed further up the bay, the wind began to blow as violently as before, and was at¬ tended with rain; infomuch that we were oblig¬ ed to bear away the cable again, and lie faft. Itv the evening, perceiving that the gale did not abate, and thinking that it might be fome- time before an opportunity of getting higher up prefented itfelf, the Commodore was determined to heel the (hip incur prelent fta'ion : and, with that ofjmm COMTEK Com m^JUJS'CK ~WlJLTLM'* PACIFIC OCEAN. "1*95 that view, caufed her to be moored with a kedge- aochor and hawfer. One of the failors, in heav¬ ing the anchor out of the boat, was carried over¬ board by the buoy-rope, and accompanied the anchor to the bottom. In this very hazardous lituation, he had fufficient prefence of mind to difengagehimfelf, and come up to the furface of the water, where he was immediately taken AarM£ PACIFIC OCEAN, 301 their eyes, though not (mail, were fcarcely pro¬ portioned to the largenefs of their faces. They had black hair, which was ftrong, ftraight, and thick. Their beards were, in general, thin, or deficient; but the hairs growing about the lips of thofe who have them, were briftly or fuff, and often of a brownuh colour; and feme of the elder¬ ly men had large, thick, ftraight beards. Though, for the moft part, they agree in the formation of their perfons, and the largenefs of their heads, the variety in their features is confi- derable. Very few, however, can be faid to be handfome, though their countenance ufually in¬ dicates franknefs, vivacity, and good-nature; and yet fome of them (hewed a referve and fullennefs in their afpeft. The faces of fome of the women are agreeable; and many of them, but principally the' younger ones, may eafily be diftinguifhed from the other fex, by the fuperi-or delicacy of their features. The complexion of fome of the females, and of the children, is white, without any mixture of red. Many of the men, whom we faw naked, had ! rather a fvvarthy caft, which was fcarcely' the effect of any ftain, as it is nor their cuftom to paint their bodies. The men, women, and children of this Sound, are all clothed in the fame manner. Their or¬ dinary drefs is a fort of ciofe frock, or rather robe, which fomefimes reaches only n the knees, but generally down to the ancles. It has, at the up¬ per 302 A VOYAGE TO TKE per part, a hole juft fufficient to admit the head, with fleeves reaching to the wrift. Thefe frocks are compofed of the fkins of various animals, fuch as the grey fox, racoon, pine-martin, fea- otter, feal, &c. And they are commonly worn with the hairy fide outwards. Some of the.na- tiveshave their frocks made of the fkins of fowls, with only the down left on them, which they glue upon other fubftances : we alfo faw one or two woollen garments, refembling thofe of the inhabitants of King George’s Sound. At the feams, where the different fkins are fewed to¬ gether, they are ufually adorned with fringes or taflels of narrow thongs, cut out of the fame fkins. There is a fort of cape or collar to a few of them, and fome have a hood ; but the other is the moft cuftomary form, and appears to con- ftitute their whole drefs in fair weather. They put over this, when it is rainy, another frock, made with fome degree of ingenuity from the inteftines of whales, or of fome other large ani¬ mal, prepared with fuch fkill, as to referable, in a great meafure, our gold-beater’s leaf. It is formed fo as to be drawn tight round the neck; and its fleeves extend down to the wrift, round which they are fattened with aftring. When they are in their canoes, they draw the fkirts of this frock over the rim of the hole in which they fit, fo that the water is prevented from entering. At the fame time it keeps the men dry upwards, for PACIFIC OCEAN. 3°3 for no water can penetrate through it. It is apt to cr»ck or break, if it is not conftantly kept moift. This frock, as well as the common one made ‘ of Ikins, is nearly fimilar to the drefs of the natives of Greenland, as defcribed by Crantz*. Though the inhabitants of this inlet, in gene¬ ral, do not cover their legs or feet, yet fome of them wear a kind of Ikin ftockings, reaching half-way up their thighs. Few of them are with¬ out mittens for their hands, formed from the ikins of a bear’s paws. Thofe who wear any thing on their heads, refembled, in this particu¬ lar, the people of Nootka, having high trun¬ cated conical caps, compofed of ilraw, and fome- times of wood. The hair of the men is commonly cropped round the forehead and neck, but the females fuffer it to grow long; and the greateft part of them tie a lock of it on the crown, while a few club it behind, after our method. Both the men and women perforate their ears with feveral holes, about the outer and lower part of the edge, wherein they fufpend fmali bunches of beads. They alfo perforate the feptum of the nofe, through which they often thruftthe quill-feathers of birds, or little bending ornaments, made of a tubulous fhelly fubftance, ftrung on a ftiff cord, of the length of three or four inches, which give * Crantz’s Hiftory of Greenland, Vol I.p. 136-—138. them 3«4 A VOYAGE TO THE them a ridiculous and grotefque appearance. But the moft extraordinary ornamental falhion, adopt¬ ed by fome of the natives of both lexes, is their having the under-lip cut quite through length- wife, rather below the fwelling part. This in- cifion frequently exceeds two inches in length, and either by its natural retradtion while the wound is {till frelh, or by the repetition of fome artificial management, affumes the appearance and fhape of lips, and becomes fufficiently large to admit the tongue through. This happened to he the cafe, when a perfon with his under-lip thus flit was firft feen by one of our failors, who im¬ mediately exclaimed, that the man had two mouths; which, indeed, it greatly refembles. They fix in this artificial mouth a flat, narrow kind of ornament, made principally out of a folid fliell or bone, cut into frnall narrow pieces, like teeth, almoft down to the bafe, or thick part, which has, at each end, a projedting bit, that ferves to lupport it when put into the divided lip; the cut part then appearing out¬ wards. Some of them only perforate the lower lip into feparate holes; on which occafion the ornament conlifts of the fame number of diftindt flielly ftuds, the points of which are thruil through thefe holes, and their heads appear within the lip, not unlike another, row of teeth under their natural ones. Such PACIFIC OCEAN. 3°5 Such are the native ornaments of thefe people, feut we oblerved among them many beads of Eu¬ ropean manfadture, chiefly of a pale blue co¬ lour, which are hung in tlieir ears, or about their caps, or are joined to their lip-ornaments, which have a littld hole, drilled in each of the points to which they are fattened, and others to them, till they fometimes even hang as low as the point of the chin. In this laft cafe, however, they Cannot remove them with flitch facility; for, with refpedtto their own lip-ornaments, they can take them out with their tongue at pleafure. They likewife wear bracelets of beads, made of a (helly fubftance, or others of a cylindrical form, cotn- pofed of a fubftance refembling amber; And they are, in general, To fond of ornaments of Tome kind or other, that they fix any thing in their perforated lip; for one of them appeared with two of our iron nails projecting like prongs from it; and another man attempted to put a large brafs button into it* The men often paint their faces of a black co¬ lour, apd of a bright red, and fometimes of a blueifh or leaden hue; but not in any regular figure. The women puncture or ftain the chin with black, that comes to a point in each of their cheeks; a cuftom fimilar to which is vogue among the Greenland females, as we are inform¬ ed hy Grantz. The bodies of thefe peopleare not painted, which may probably be owing to the Vol.il—N° lit X fcarcity A VOYAGE TO THE 306 fcarcityof materials for that purpofe; all the co¬ lours which they brought for fale, being in very fmall quantities. Upon the whole, we have in no country feen favages who take more pains than thefe do, to ornament,, or rather (as we fhouid think) to disfigure their perfons.- Their canoes are of two forts; the one large and open, the other fmall and covered. We have mentioned before, that there were twenty women, and one -man, befides children, in one of their large boats. Captain Cook having attentively examined this, and compared its conftrudion with Crantz’s deP.ription of the great, or women’s boat in Greenland, found that they were built in the fame mode, with no other difference than in the form of the head and ftern, particularly of the former, which fome what refembles a whale’s head. The framing confifts of flender pieces of wood.' and the outfide is compofed of the fkins of feals, or other fea animals, ftretched over the wood. The fmall canoes of thefe people, are conftruded nearly of the fame form and materials with thofe of the Efquimaux and Greenlanders. Some of thele, as we have already mentioned, carry two perfons. Their fore-part is Curved like the head of a violin; and they are broader in proportion to their length than thofe of the Efquimaux. Their weapons, and implements for hunting and Jn'hing, are the fame with thofe ufed by the Greenlanders and Efquimaux. Many of their fpears PACIFIC OCEAN. 3°7 fpears are headed With iron, and their arrows are generally pointed with bone. TTheir larger darts are thrown by means of a piece of wood about a foot long, with a fmall groove in the middle, which receives the dart; at the bottom is a hole for the reception of one finger* which enables them to grafp the piece of wood much firmer, and to throw with greater force. For defenfive armour they have a fort of jacket,"or coat of mail, ’ formed of laths, fattened together with finews, which render it very flexible, though it is fo clofe as not to admit a dart or arrow. It ferves only to cover the trunk of the body, and may, not improperly, be compared to the flays worn by women. \ We had not an opportunity of feeing any of the habitations of the natives, as none of them dwelt in the bay where our fhips anchored, or where any of us landed. With refpeft to their domeftic utenfils, they brought, in their canoes, fome round and oval wooden difhes, rather fhal- low; and others of a cylindrical form, confider- ably deeper. The fides confifted of one piece; bent round, after the manner of our chip boxes, but thick, and neatly fattened with thongs; the bottoms being fixed in with fmall pegs of wood. Others were fomewhat fmaller, and of a more elegant figure, not unlike a large oval butter¬ boat, without any handle, b>ut fhallower: thefe were compofed of a piece of wood, or fome horny X % fub- $0$ A VOYAGE TO THE fuhftance, and were fometirnes neatly carved. They had a number of little fqoare bags, made of the fame gut with their exterior frocks, c-uri- oiifly adorned with very fmaU red feathers, inter¬ woven with it, in which were contained feverat very fine finews, and bundles of final! eord, made out of them, plaited with extraordinary ingenuity. They likewife brought feme wooden models of theircanoes, chequered bafkets, wrought fo clofely as to hold water, and a confiderable number of final! images, of the length of four or five inches, either of wood, or fluffed, which were covered with a piece of fur, and embellished with quill-feathers, with hair fixed on their beads. We could not determine whether thefe were in¬ tended merely as children’s toys, or were held in veneration, as reprefeoting,their deceafed friends and relations, and applied to f'ome fuperftitious porpofe. They have many inAruments formed ot two or three hoops, or concentrical pieces of wood, having a crofs-bar fixed in the middle, by which they are held. To thefe they fix a number of dried bamacle-fhells, with threads, which, vheu fhaken, produce a loud noife, and thus ferve the purpofe of a rattle. This contrivance is probably a fubftitute for the rattling-bird at King George’s Sound. It is uncertain with what tools, their wooden utenfils, frames, of canoes, &c. are made.; the only one that we obferved among them being a fort of ftone PACIFIC OCEA^T. 309 Hone adze, lomewhat refetnbling thofe of Ota- heite, and other iflands of the Pacific Ocean. They have a great quantity of iron knives, fotne of which are rather curved, others ftrait, and forne very fmall ones, fixed in longifh handles, with the blades bent upwards. They have alfo knives of another fort, fottietimes altnoft two feet in length, lhaped, in a great meafute, like a dagger, with a ridge towards the middle. They wear thefe in Iheaths of lkins, hung by a thohg round their necks, under their robe or'frock. It is probable, that they ufe them only as weapons, and that their other knives are applied to different purpofes. Whatever they have, is as well made as if they were provided with a complete cheft of tools; and their plaiting of finews, fewing, and fmall work on their little bags above mentioned, may be faid to vie with the neateft manufactures found in any part of the globe. Upon the whole, confidering the uncivilized ftate of the natives of this Sound, their northerly fituation, amidft a country almoft continually covered with fnow, and the comparatively wretched materials they have to work with, it appears, that, with refpeCt to their fkill and invention, in all manual operations, they are at leaft equal to any other people. The food that we law them eat, was the flelh of fome animal, either roafted or broiled, and dried fifh. Some of the former that was puf- X 3 chafed. 310 A VOYAGE TO THE chafed, had the appearance of bear's fleftn They likewife eat a larger fort of fern-root, either baked or dreffed in foipe other method. Some of ns obferved them eat freely of a fubftance, which we imagined was the interior part of the pine bark. Their drink, in all probability, is water; for, in their canoes, they brought lnow in wooden vef- fels, which they fwallowed by mouthfuls. Their manner of eating is decent and cleanly, for they conftantly took care to remove any dirt that might adhere to their food; and though they would fometimes eat the raw fat of fome lea animal, they did not fail to cut it carefully into mouth¬ fuls. Their perfons were, to appearance, always clean; and their utenfils, in general, were kept in excellent order, as were alfo their boats. The language of thefe people feems difficult to be underflood; which is, perhaps, not owing to any confufionor indiftindlnefs in their founds, but to the various fignifications which their words bear. For they appeared frequently to make ufe of the fame word on very different oc- cafions; thou gh, probably, if we had had a longer intercourfe with them, this might have proved to be a miftake on our part. Among the very few words of their language that Mr. Anderfon was enabled to procure, are the following, viz. <3/2, yes; keeta, give me fomething; tawuk, keep it; akajhou , what’s the name of that ? namuk, an ear-ornament; naloonejhuk , a fea-otter’s fkin ; abku , PACIFIC OCEAN. mb 'ey* a fpear; yaut. I’ll go, or, fliall I go ? keelajhnk, guts of which they make jackets; naema, give me fomething by w,ay of exchange, or-bar- ter; whaehai, fhall I keep it ? ooonaka , of, or be¬ longing to me. Our knowledge of the animals of this part of the American continent, is entirely derived from the fkins that were brought by the natives for fale. Thele were principally of bears, common and. pine martins, fea-otters, feals, racoons, fmall ermines, foxes, and the whitilb cat or lynx. Among thefe various ikins, the moft common were thofe of racoons, martins, and fea-otters, which conftituted the ordinary drefs of thefe peo¬ ple; but the fkins , of the martins, which were in general of a far lighter brown than thofe of Nootka, were greatly fyperior to them in point of finenefs; whereas thofe of the fea-otters, which, as well as the martins, were much more plentiful here than at Nootka, feetned to be confiderably inferior in the thicknefs and finenefs of their fur, though they far exceeded ^hem with refpedt to fize; and were, for the moft part, of the gloffy black fort. The fkins of feals and bears were alfo pretty common; and the former were in general white, beautifully fpotted with black, or fome- times Amply white; and many of the bears here tvere of a dark brown hue. Befides thefe animals, there is here the white bear, of whofe fkins the natives brought feveral X 4 pieces. A voyage to the 311 pieces, and fbme compleat ikins of cubs. There is alfa the wolverine, or quickhatch, whofe lkin has very bright colours; and a larger fpecies of ermine than the common one, varied with brown, and having fcarcely any black on its tail. The lkin of the head of fome very large animal was likewife brought to us, but we could not pofi- tively decide what it was: though, from theco¬ lour and lhagginefs of the hair, and its not re- fembling any land animal, we conjectured that it might be that of the male urfine feal, or fea- bear. But one of the raoft beautiful ikins that fell under our obfervation, is that of a fmall ani¬ mal near a foot in length, of a brown colour on the back with a number of obfcure whitifh fpecks, the fides being of a blueiih afh colour, with a few of thefe fpecks. The tail is about a third part of the length of the body, and is covered with whitifh hair. This animal is doubtlels the fame with that which is called by Mr. Sta;hlin, jn his account of the New Northern Archipelago, the fpotted field-moufe. But whether it is really of the moufe kind, or a fquirrel, we could not determine, for want of intire Ikins; though Mr. Anderlon was inclined to ibiagine, that it is the fame animal which Mr. Pennant has defcribed tinder the appellation of the Cafan marmot. The great number of ikins that we obferved here, dcmonftrates the abundance of the various ani¬ mals we have mentioned ; but it is fomewhat re¬ markable. PACIFIC OCEAN. 313 markable, that we neither met with the Ikins of the moufe, nor of the common fpecies of deer. W ith refyedt to birds, we found here the hal¬ cyon, or great king-filher, which had fine bright colours; the (hag; the white-headed eagle; and the humming bird, which often flew about our (hips, while we lay at anchor;; though it can fcarcely be luppofed to live here during the win¬ ter, which mull be extremely fevere. The wa¬ ter-fowl feen by us were Black fea-pyes, with red bills, fuch as we met with in New Zealand and Van Diemen’s Land; geefe; a fmall fort of duck, nearly refembling that fpecies we faw at Ker¬ guelen’s Land ; and another fort with which' none pf 11s were acquainted. Some of our people who went afliore, (killed a fnipe, a groufe, and fome plovers. But though the water-fowl were nu- nierous, particularly the geefe and ducks, they were fo fliy that it was fcarce poflible to get within fliot; in confequence of which, we pro-; cored a very inconfiderable fupply of them as re- frefliment. The duck before-mentioned is about the fize of the common wild duck, of a deep black, with red feet, and a fliort pointed tail. Its bill is white, tinged towards the point with red, and has a large black fpot, almoft fquare, near its bafe, on each fide, where it is alfo fome- what diftended. On the forehead is a large tri¬ angular white fpot; and on the hinder part of the neck is one Hill larger. The colours of the fe¬ male A VOYAGE TO THE 3H male are confiderably duller than thofe of the male; and it has none of the ornaments of the bill, excepting the two black fpqts, which are rather obfcure. A fpecies of diver, which feems peculiar to this place, was obferved here. It is equal to a partridge in fize, and has a fhort, black, com- prefied bill. Its head, and the upper part of its neck, are of a brownilh black; and the remainder of its body is of a deep brown, obfcurely waved with black, except the under part, which is to¬ tally of a blackifh caft, minutely varied with white. We alfo found a fmall land bird, of the finch kind, about the fize of a yellow-hammer; but wc imagined it to be one ofthofe which change their colour with the feafon, and with their dif¬ ferent migrations. It was, at-this time, of'a dufky brown, with a reddilh tail; and the fup- pofed male had, on the crown of the head, a large yellow fpot, with fome varied black on the upper part of its neck; but the latter was on the breafi of the female. The fifii that were principally brought to us by the natives for tale, were torlk and halibut; and we caught fome fculpins about the (hip, with {tar-filh of a purplifh hue, that had fixteen or eighteen rays. The rocks were almoft deftitute of ibell-fifn; and the only other animal of this tribe that was obferved by us, was a reddilh crab, covered with very large fpines. The PACIFIC OCEAN. 315 The metals feen by us were iron and copper; both which, but more particularly the former, were in fuch abundance, as to form the points of numbers of their lances and arrows. The ores which they made ufe of to paint themfelves with, were a brittle, un&uous, red ochre, or iron ore; a pigment of a bright blue; and black lead. Each of thefe feemed to be very fcarce among them. Weobferved few vegetables of any kind; and the trees that chiefly grew about this found, were the Canadian and fpruce pine, fome of which were of a confiderable fize. Thefe people mull, doubtlefs, have received from fome more civilized nation, the beads and iron found among them. We were almoft cer¬ tain, that we were the fiift .Europeans with whom they had ever had a direft communication; and it remains only to be determined, from what quarter they had procured our manufactures, by intermediate conveyance. And it is more than probable, that they had obtained thefe articles, through the intervention of the more inland tribes either from the fettlements about Hudfon’s Bay, or thofe on the lakes of Canada; unlefs we can admit the fuppoiition, that the Ruffians, from Kamtfckatka, have already extended their traffic to this diftance; or that the natives of their mod eafterly Fox Iilands carry on an intercourfe along the coaft, with the inhabitants of Prince William’s Sound. With A VOYAGE TO THE SIS’ With refpeft to copper, thefc people, perhaps, procure it themfelves, or, at moft, is paffes to them through few hands ; for, when they offered any of it by way of barter, they ufed to express its being in fufficient plenty among them, by pointing to their weapons; as if they meat to intimate, that as they had fo much copper of their own, there was no occafion for increafing their flock. If, however, the natives of this inlet are fur- nilhed with European commodities by means of the intermediate traffic to the eafterp coaft, it is rather remarkable, that they fhould never, in return, have fupplied the more inland Indians with fome of their fea-otter ikins, which would undoubtedly have appeared, at fome time or other, in the invirons of Hudfon’s Bay. But | that does not appear to be the cafe; and the only method by which we can account for this, muft be by confidering the very great diftance; which, though it might not prevent European articles of commerce' from coming fo far, as being fo un¬ common, might hinder the Ikins, which are com¬ mon, from paffing through more than two or three tribes, who might make ufe of them for their own clothing, and fend others, which they ^reckoned of inferior value, as being of their own janimals, towards the eaft, till they reach the graders at the European fettlements. CHAP. PACIFIC OCEAN. 3 1 7 CHAP. Vlt Proceed along the Qoaft—Cape Elizabeth—Cape . St Herntogenes—Beering’s Voyage and Chart very defective—Point Banks—Barren IJles—Cape Douglas—Cape Bede—Mount St. Augujiin — En¬ deavour to find a pajfage up an Inlet—Both Ships make a Progrefs up it—Convincing Proofs of its being ai River—-A Branch of it called River Purnagain—The great River named Cook’s River —The Ships return—Several Vijits from the Na¬ tives—Lieutenant King lands , difplays a Flag, . and takes poffejjion of the Country—His Reception by the Natives—The Refolution firikes upon a . Bank—The high Tides accounted for. L EAVING Prince Wiliam’s Sound, on Wednefday the 20th of May, we fteered to the fcuth-weft, with a gentle breeze; which was fueceeded by a calm at four o’clock the next morning, and that ealm was foon after followed by a breeze from fouth-weft. We continued to ftretch to the fouth-weft, and pafled a lofty pro¬ montory, in the latitude of 59 0 io', and the lon¬ gitude of 207° 45 / . It having been difcovered on Princefs Elizabeth’s birth-day. Captain Cook gave it the name of Cape Elizbeth. As we could fee no land beyond it, we flattered ourfelves that it was the weftern extremity of the continent; but A VOYAGE TO THE 3X8 but we were loon convinced that we were mif- taken, frefh land appearing in fight, bearing weft- fouth-weft. The wind'had now increafed to a ftrong gale, and forced us to a confiderable dis¬ tance from the coaft. On the a 2d, in the after¬ noon, the gale abated, and we flood for Cape Elizabeth; which, about noon the next day, bore weft, diftant ten leagues. New land was then feen, bearing fouth-weft, which, it was imagined, connected Cape Elizabeth with the land we had feen towards the weft. We flood to the louthward till the next day at noon, at which time we were about three leagues _ from the coaft, which we had feen on the Z2d. In this fituation, it formed a point, that bore weft north-weft. More land was difeovered, ex¬ tending to the louthward; on which was feen a ridge of mountains, with fummits covered with fnow, behind the firft land, which we fuppofed to be an illand, there appearing on it but an in- confiderable quantity of fnow. The latitude of this point of land is 58° 15', and its longitude 207° 42''. And, by what the Commodore could gather from Beering's Voyage and Chart, he fup¬ pofed it to be what he called Cape St. Hermo- genes. But the account of that Voyage, as well as the chart,-is fo extremely inaccurate, that it is almoft impoffible to difeover any one place, which that navigator either faw or touched at. The Commodore, indeed, was by on means certain, , that PACIFIC, OCEAN. 319 that the bay which he had named after Beering, Was the place where he had anchored. In the chart above-mentioned, a fpace is here pointed out, where Beering is fuppofed.to have feen no land. This favoured Mr. Stashelin’s ac¬ count, who makes Cape St. Hermogenes, and the land difcovered by Beering to the fouth weft of it, to be a duller of iflandsj and that St. 'Her¬ mogenes is one of thofe which are deftitute of wood. This appeared to be confirmed by what we now faw; and we entertained the pleafing hopes of finding here a paflage northward, with¬ out being under the neceffity of proceeding any, farther to the fouth-weft. By variable light airs and calms, we were de¬ tained off the Cape till two o’clock in the morn¬ ing of the 25th, when a breeze fpringing up, we fleered along the coaft, and perceived that the land of Cape St. Hermogenes was an ifland, about fix leagues in circumference, feparated from the coaft by a channel of about one league in breath. Some rocks lie above water, a league and a half to the north of this ifland; and on the noith-eaft fide of the rocks, we had from thirty to twenty fathoms water.' About noon, St: Hermogenes bore fouth-eaft, diflant eight leagues; the land to the north-weft extending from fouth half weft to near weft. In the laft direction it ended in a low point, named Point Banks. The fhip was, at this time, \in the 3^0 A VOYAGE TO THE the latitude of 58° 41', and in the longitude of 207° 44'. In this fituation,the land was in fight, bearing north-weft, which, it was imagined, con¬ nected Cape Elizabeth with this fouth-weft land. When we approached it, we faw it was a groupe of high iflands and rocks, and corifequently un¬ connected with any other land. From the naked- nefs of their appearance, they were denominated the Barren IJles: they are fituated in the latitude of 59 0 , three leagues diftant from Cape Elizabeth, and five from Point Banks. We intended to have pafled through one of the channels by which thefe iflands are divided ; but, a ftrong current fetting againft. us, we went to the leeward of them all. The weather, which had been thick and hazy, cleared up towards the evening, and we perceived a very lofty promon¬ tory, wbofe elevated fummit appeared above the clouds, forming two exceedingly high mountains. The Commodore named this promontory Cape Douglas, in honour of his friend Dr. Douglas, canon of Windfor. Its latitude is 58° 56', and its longitude 2o6°to / ; twelve leagues from Point Banks, and ten to the weftward of the Barren Ifles. The coaft feemed to form a large deep bay, between this point and Cape Douglas; which, from our obferving fome fmoke upon Point Banks received the name of Smokey Bay, On the 26th, at day-break, being to the northward of the Bar- 0 ren PACIFIC OCEAN. 4 3 21 ren Ifles, we perceived more land, extending from Cape Douglafs to the north. It confided of a chain of very high mountains ; one of which being much more confpicuous than the' reft, ob¬ tained the name of Mount St. Auguftin. We were not difcouraged at perceiving this land, fuppofing it to be wholly unconnected with the land of Cape Elizabeth. We alfo expeCted to find a paflage to the north-weft, between Cape Douglafs and Mount St. Auguftin. It was, in¬ deed, imagined, that the land to the north of Cape Douglafs, confifted of a groupe of iflands, feparated by. fo many channels, any of which we might have chofen, according to the direction of the wind. Flattered with thefe ideas, and having a frefh gale at north-north-eaft, we flood to the north- weft, till eight o’clock, when we were fully con¬ vinced,that what we had fuppofed tobetheiflands, were fummits of mountains, connected by the lower land, which we could not perceive at a greater diftance, on account of the hazinefs of the horizon. This land was covered wholly with fnow, from the tops of the mountains down to the fea beach; and had, in every other refpeCt, the appearance of a great continent. Captain Cook was now fully convinced that he fhould difcover no paflage by this inlet: and his perfe- vering in the fearch of it, was more to fatisfy others, than to confirm his own opinion. Voll. II.-— n° i z. Y Mount %tz A VOYAGE TO THE J o' Mount St. Auguftin, at this time, bore north xveft, about three leagues diftant. It is of vaft height, and of a conical figure; but whether it be an jfland, or part of the continent, is not yet afcertained. Perceiving that nothing was to be done to the weft, we ftood over to Cape Eliza¬ beth, under which we fetched at about five in the afternoon. Between Cape Elizabeth’ and a lofty promon¬ tory, named Cape Bede*, is a bay, in which there appeared to be two fnug harbours. We ftood into this bay, and might have anchored there in twenty- three fathoms water : but* the Commo- dore having no fuch intention, we tacked, and ftood to the weftward, with a very ftrong gale, accompanied with rain and hazy weather. The gale abated the next morning, and about three o’clock in the afternoon, the weather cleared up; Cape Douglas bearing fouth-weft by weft, and the depth of water being forty fathoms, over a rocky bottom. The coaft from Cape Bede, trended north-eaft by eaft, with a .chain of mountains inland, in the fame direction. On the coaft, the land was woody, and there appeared to be fome commodious har¬ bours. We had the mortification, however, to difcover low land in the middle of the inlet, ex- * This name, and that of Mount St. Auguftin, were di¬ rected by our calendar. tending PACIFIC OCEAN. 32 tending from north-north-eaft, to north-eaft by eaft; but, as it was fuppofed to be an ifland, we were not much difcouraged. About this time we fleered, with a light breeze, to the weftward of this lowland; as, in that dire&ion, there was no appearance of obftruftion. Our foundings were from thirty to twenty-five fathoms. In the morning of the 28th, having but little wind, the (hip drove to the fouthward; and, in order to flop her, we dropped a kedge-anchor, with an eight inch haufer. But, in bringing the fhip up, we loft both that and the anchor. We brought the fhip up, however, with one of the bowers, and fpent a confiderable part of the day in fweeping for them, but without effeft. We were now in the latitude of 59 0 31 / ; the low-land extended from north eaft to fouth-eaft, the neareft part diftant about two leagues. The land on the weftern fhore was diftant about feven leagues. A ftrong tide fet to the fouth-ward, out of the inlet ; it was the ebb, and ran almoft four knots in an hour. At ten o’clock it was low water. Great quantities of fea-weed, and fome drift wood, were taken out with the tide. Though the water had become thick, and refembled that in rivers, we were encouraged to proceed, by finding it as falc as the ocean, even at low water. Three knots was the ftrength of the flood tide; and the ftream continued to run up till four in the afternoon. Y 2 A VOYAGE TO THE. 3 2 4 Having a calm the whole day, we moved with' a light breeze at eaft, at eight o’clock in the evening, and flood to the north, up the inlet. The wind, foon after, veered to the north, in- creafed to a freth gale, and blew in fqualls, with" fome rain. But this did not hinder us from ply¬ ing up while the flood continued, which was till the next morning, at near five o’clock. We had from thirty-five to twenty-four fathoms water- We anchored about two leagues from theeaftern ftiore, where our latitude was 6o° 8 / ; fome low land, which we fuppofed to be an ifland, lying under the weftern fhore, diftant between three and four leagues. The weather having now become fair and clear,, we could fee any land within our horizon; when nothing was vifible to obftrudt our progrefs in a north-eaft direftion. But a ridge of mountains appeared on each fide, rifing behind each other, without any reparation. Captain Cook fuppofed it to be low water about ten o’clock, but the ebb ran down till altnoft twelve. Two columns of fmoke were now vifible on the eaftern fhore ; a certain fign that inhabitants were near. We weighed at one in the afternoon, and plied up under double reefed topfails, having a ftrong gale at north eaft. We ftretched over to the weftern fhore, intend¬ ing to have taken fhelter till the galefhouldceafe; but falling fuddenly from forty fathoms water into PACIFIC OCEAK. m into twelve, and feeing the appearance of a fttoal, we ftretched back to the eaftward, and anchored i.n nineteen fathoms water, undertbe eaftern ftiore; the north-weft part of which, ended in a bluff , point. On the 30th of May, about two o’clock in the morning, we weighed anchor again, the gale hav¬ ing much abated, but fcill continuing contrary. We plied up till near fevefl, and then anchored in nineteen fathoms water, under the (bore to the eaftward. Two canoes, with a man in each, came off to the fhip about noon, nearly from that part where We had feen the ftnoke the day before. It coft them fome labour to paddle acrofs the ftrong tide 3 and they hefitated a little, before they dared ven- cure to approach us. One of them was very lo¬ quacious, but to no purpofe, for we could not underftand a fyllable he laid : while he was talk¬ ing, he kept pointing continually to the ibore, which we fuppofed to be an invitation for us to go thither. Captain Cook made them a prefent of a few trifles, which he conveyed to them from the quarter gallery. Thefe people ftrongly refetobled thofe we had feen in Prince William’s Sound, both in drefe and perfon : their canoes were alfo conftrudted in the fame manner. One of our vifitors feemed to have no beard* and his face was painted of a jet black ; the other, who was older, was not paint- Y 3 ed A VOYAGE TO THE 32-6 ed, but he had a large beard, and a countenance like the common fort of the people in the Sound. Smoke was this day feen upon the flat weftern fhore; whence we inferred, that thefe lower fpots only are inhabited. As we weighed when the flood made,the canoes quitted us. We flood over to the weftern fhore, with a frefh gale, and fetched under the point above mentioned. This, with the point on the oppofite fhore, contracted the breadth of the channel to about four leagues, through which ran a prodigious tide. It had a terrible appearance, as we were ignorant whether the water was thus agitated by the ftream, or by the dafhing of the waves againft fands or rocks. Meeting with no fhoal, we concluded it to be the former, but we afterwards found ourfelves miftaken. We kept the weftern fhore aboard, that appear¬ ing to be the faireft. We had a depth of thirteen fathoms near the fhore, and, two or three miles off, upwards of forty. In the evening, about eight o’clock, we anchored under a point of land, bearing north-eaft, diftant about three leagues, and lay there during the ebb. Till we arrived here, the water retained an equal degree of faltnefs, both at high and low water, and was as fait as that which is in the ocean ; but now the marks of a river evidently difplayed themfelves. The wafer, which was taken up at this ebb, was much frefher than any we PACIFIC OCEAN. 3 2 7 we'had tafted; whence we concluded that we were in a large river, and not in a flrait which had a communication with the northern feas. But, having proceeded thus far, we were anxious to have ftronger proofs; and, therefore, in the morning of the 31ft we weighed with the flood, and drove up with the tide, having but little wind. We were attended, about eight o’clock, by many of the natives, in one large canoe, and feveral fmall ones. The latter had only one per- fon on board each ; and fome of the paddles had a blade at each end, like thofe of the Efquimaux. Men, women, and children, were contained in the large canoes. At fome diftance from the fhip, they exhibited on a long pole, a kind of leathern frock, which we interpreted to be a fign of their peaceable intentions. They conveyed this frock into the fhip, as an acknowledgement for fome trifles which the Commodore had given them. No difference appeared either in the perfons, drefs, or canoes of thefe people, and the natives of Prince William’s Sound, except that the fmall canoes were not fo large as thofe of the Sound, and carried only one man. We bartered with them for fome of their fur dreffes, made of the lkins of animals; particular¬ ly thofe of fea-otters, martins, and hares: we alfo had a few of their darts, and a fupply of falmon Y 4 and AVOYAGE TO THE 328 and halibut. We gave them in exchange for thefe, fome old clothes, beads, and pieces of iron. They were already poflefled of large iron knives, and glafs beads of.a fky-blue colour, fuch as we faw among the inhabitants of Prince Wil¬ liam’s Sound. The latter, as well as thofe which they received of us, they feemed to value highly. But they were particularly earned: in alking for large pieces of iron, to which they gave the name of goone; though with them, as well as with their neighbours in the Sound, one word feemed to have many fignifications. Their language is certainly the fame ; the words oonaka, keeta , and. naema , and a few others which were frequently ufed in Prince William’s Sound, were alfo com¬ monly ufed by this new tribe. After palling a- bout two hours between the two Ihips, they re¬ tired to the weftern fhore. We anchored at nine o’clock, in lixteen fa¬ thoms water, and almoft two leagues from the weftern fhore, the ebb being already begun. It ran but three knots an hour at its greateftftrength; and fell, after we had anchored, twenty-one feet upon a perpendicular. The weather was alter¬ nately clear and mifty, with drizling rain. When it was clear, we perceived low land between the mountains on the eaftern fhore, bearing eaft from the ftation of the fhips, which we concluded to be iflands between us and the main land. We alfo PACIFIC OCEAN. 329 alfo beheld low land to the northward, which appeared to extend from the mountains on one fide, to thofe on the other; a«d, at low water, large (hoals were fcen, ftretching out from this low land, from fome of which we were not far diftant. We doubted, from thele appearances, whether the inlet did not take an ealterly direction through the above opening; or whether that opening was only a branch of it, the main chan¬ nel continuing its northern direction. The chain of mountains, on each fid,e of it, ftrongly counte¬ nanced the latter fuppofition. To be fatisfied of thefe particulars, Captain Cook difpatched two boats; and, when the flood- tide made, followed with the two (hips: but it being'adead calm, and having a flrong tide, we anchored, after driving about ten miles. At the loweft of the ebb, the water at and near the fur- face was perfectly frefh ; though retaining a con- fiderable degree of faltnefs, if taken above a foot below it. We had this and many other con¬ vincing proofs of its being a river : fuch as thick muddy water, low fhores, trees and rubbiih of various kinds, floating backwards and forwards with the tide. In the afternoon we received ano¬ ther vifit from the natives, in feveral canoes, who trafficked confiderably with our people, without fo much as attempting any dilhonefl adtion. At two o’clock in the morning of the firff of June, the mailer, who commanded, the two boats, returned, A VOYAGE TO THK returned, informing us that he found the inlet, or river, contraded to one league in breadth, and that it took a northerly courfe through low land on each fide. He advanced about three leagues through this narrow part, which he found from twenty to feventeen fathoms deep. While the ftream ran down, the water was ^perfedly frefh ; but it became brackifli when it ran up, and very much fo towards high water. He went alhore upon an illand, between this branch and that to the eaft, and faw fome cur¬ rant bufhes; and fome other fruit trees and bulhes that were unknown to him. About three leagues to the northward of this fearch, he faw another feparation in the eaftern chain of moun¬ tains, through which he fuppofed it probable the river took a north-eaft direction ; but this, per¬ haps, was only another branch, and the main channel continued in a northern direction be¬ tween the two chains of mountains. The hopes of finding a paffage were no longer entertained ; but as the ebb was fpent, and we were unable to return againft the tide, we took the advantage of the latter, to get a clofer view of the eaftern branch; in order to determine whether the low land on the eaft, was an ifland, or not. For this purpofe we weighed with the firft of the flood, and flood over for the eaftern fhore. At eight o’clock a breeze fprungup in an oppofite diredion to our courfe, fo that we de- fpaired PACIFIC OCEAN. 33 1 fpaired of reaching the entrance of the river. The Commodore, therefore,difpatched two boats, under tile command of Lieutenant King, to make fuch obfervations as might enable us to form fome tolerable idea of the nature of the river. We anchored, about ten o’clock, in nine fa* thorns water. The Commodore, obferving the ftrength of the tide to be fo great, that the boats could not make head again ft it, made a fignal for them to return before they had proceeded half way to the entrance of thh river. The chief knowledge obtained by this tide’s work, was, that all the low land, which we imagined to he an iiland, was one continued traft from the great river to the foot of the mountains, terminating at the fouth entrance of this eaftern branch, which the Commodore denominated the river Turn- again. The low land begins again on the north fide of this river, and extends from the foot of the mountains, to the banks of the great river; forming, before the river Turnagain, a large bay, having from twelve to five fathoms water. After entering the bay, the flood fet very ftrong into the river Turnagain, and the ebb came out ftill ftronger, the water falling twenty feet upon a perpendicular. Frpm thefe circumftances, it plainly appeared, that a paflage was not to be expected by this fide river, any more than by the main branch. But, as the water at ebb, though much freflier, retained a confiderable degree of fahnefs. 33* A VOYAGE TO THE faltnefs, it is probable that both thefe branches are navigable by fhips much farther ; and that a very exteofive inland communication lies open, by means of this river and its feveral branches. We had traced it to the latitude of 6i° 30', and the longitude of 210°, which is upwards of feventy leagues from its entrance, and faw no appearance of its fource. The time we fpent in the difcovery of this great river * ought not to be regretted, if it fhould hereafter prove ufeful to the prefent, or any future age. But the delay, thus occalioned, was an effential lofs to us, who had an object of greater magnitude in view. The feafon was far advanced ; and it was now evident that the con¬ tinent of North America extended much farther to the weft, than we had reafon to expert from the moft approved charts. The Commodore, how¬ ever, had the fatisfadtion to refledt, that, if he had not examined this very large river, fpecula- tive fabricators of geography would have ventur¬ ed to aflert, that it had a communication with the fea to the north, or with Hudfon’sor Baffin’s bay to the eaft; and it would probably have been marked, on future maps of the world, with as much appearance of precifion, as the imaginary ftraits of de Fuca, and de Fonte. * Captain Cook having here left a blank, Lord Sand¬ wich Very judicioufly directed it to be called Cook's River. Mr. 1 PACIFIC OCEAN. 333 Mr. King was again fent, in the afternoon, with two armed boats, with orders from Captain Cook to land on the fouth eaft fide of the river, where he was to difplay the flag; and, in his Majefty’s name, to take pofleflion of the country and the river. He was alfo ordered to bury a bottle in the earth, containing fome Englilh coin of 1772, and a paper, whereon were written the names of our (hips, and the date of our difcovery. The fbips, in the mean time, were got under'fail. The wind blew frefli eafterly; but we had not been long under way before a calm enfued ; and the flood tide meeting us, we found it neceflary to anchor in fix fathoms water; the point where Mr. King landed bearing fouth, at the diftance of two miles. This point of land was named Point Pojfejfton. On Mr. King’s return, he informed the Com¬ modore, that when he approached the fhore, he faw eighteen or twenty of the natives with their arms extended ; an attitude, he fuppofed, meant to fignify their peaceable difpofition, and to con¬ vince him that they were without weapons. See¬ ing Mr. King and his attendants land, and ob- ferving mufquets in their hands, they were a- larmed, and requefted(by expreffive figns) that they would lay them down. This was im¬ mediately complied with, and then Mr. King and his party were permitted to walk up to them, when A VOYAGE TO THE A when they appeared to be very fociable and chearful. They had with them leveral dogs, and a few pieces of frefh falmon. Mr. Law, Surgeon of the Difcovery, happening to be of the party, pur- chafed one of the dogs, and, taking it towards the boat, immediately lhot it dead. At this they feemed exceedingly furprized; and, not thinking themfelves fafe in fuch company, they walked away; but it prefently appeared, that they had concealed their fpears and other weapons in the bulhes clofe behind them. M. King in¬ formed us, that the ground was fwampy, and the foil poor and light. It, however, produced fome pines, alders, birch, and willows; fome rofe and current bulhes, and a little grafs; but there was not a plant in flower to be feen. When it was high water we weighed anchor, and, with a faint breeze, flood over to the weft fhore, where we anchored early the next morn¬ ing, on account of the return of the flood. Pre¬ fently after we were vifited by feveral of the natives, in canoes, who bartered their lkins, and afterwards parted with their garments, many of them returning perfectly naked. Among others they brought a great quantity ot the lkins of white rabbits and red foxes, but only two or three of thofe of otters. We alfo purchafed fome pieces of halibut and falmon. They gave iron the preference to every thing we offered them in exchange. PACIFIC OCEAN. 335 exchange. The lip-ornaments were lefs in fafhion among them than at Prince William’s Sound; but thofe which pafs through the nofe were more frequent, and in general, confiderably longer. They- had, likewife, more embroidered work on their garments, quivers, knife-cafes, and many other articles. We weighed at ha 3 f pad ten, and plied down the river with a gentle breeze at fouth ; when, by the inattention of the man at the lead, the Re- folution ftruck, and ftuck upon a bank, nearly in the middle of the river. It is pretty certain that this bank occafioned that drong agitation of the dream, with which we were fo much fur- prized when turning up the river. We had twelve feet depth of water about the fhip, at the lowed: of the ebb, but the bank was dry in other parts. When the Refolution came aground, Captain Cook made a fignal for the Difcovery to anchor. We were afterwards informed, that fhehad been almoftadiore on the wed: fide of the bank. About five o’clock in the afternoon, as the flood tide came in, the fhip floated off without fudaining any damage, or occalioning the lead trouble. We then dood over to the wed fhore, where we anchored, in deep water, to wait for the ebb, the wind being dill unfavourable to us. At ten o’clock at night we weighed with the ebb ; and about five the next njorning, (the 3d of 336 A VOYAGE TO THE of June) the tide being finifhed, we call anchor on the weft fhore, about two miles below the bluff point. When we were in this ftation we were vifited by many of the natives, who attend¬ ed us all the morning; and, indeed, their com¬ pany was highly acceptable to us, as they brought with them a quantity of fine falmon, which they exchanged for fome of our trifles. Several hun¬ dred weight of it was procured for the two fhips, and the greateft part of it fplit, and ready for drying. The mountains now, for the firft time after our entering the river, were free from clouds, and we perceived a volcano in one of thofe on the weftern fide. Its latitude is 6 o° 23'; and it is the firft high mountain north of Mount Si. Auguftin. The volcano is near the fummit, and on that part of the mountain next the river. It emits a white fmoke, but no fire. The wind continuing foutherly, we ftill tided it down the river; and, on the morning of the 5th, arriving at the place where we had loft our kedge an¬ chor, we attempted, though unfuccefsfully, to recover it. . Before our departure from this place, we were again vifited by lome of the natives, in fix canoes, from the eaftern fhore. For half an hour they remained at a fmall diftance from the fliips, gaz¬ ing at them with a kind of filent furprize, without uttering a fyllable to us, or to each other. At length PACIFIC OCEAN. 537 length they grew courageous, came along-fide, And began to barter with us ; nor did they leave us till they had parted with their Ikins and fal- mon, which were the only articles they had Drought to traffick with. It may not be unneceffary to remark, that all the people we had leen in this river, had a ftrik- ing refeinblance, in every particular, to thofe who inhabit Prince William’s Sound, but differ, ed mod effentially From thofe of Nootka, as well in their perfons as their language. , The points of their fpears and knives are made of iron; fome of the former, indeed, are made of copper. Their fpears referable our fpontoons; and their knives, for which they have fheaths, are of a confiderable length. Except thofe, and a few glafs beads, every thing we faw among!! them was of their own manufa&ure. We have already hazarded conjectures from whence they derive their foreign articles. It cannot be fup- ipofed, however, that the Ruffians have been a* mongft them, for we (hould not then have feen them cloathed in fuch valuable ikins as thofe of the fea-otter. A very beneficial fur trade might certainly be carried on with the natives of this vafi: coaft; but, without a northern paffage, it is too re¬ note for Great-Britain to be benefited by fuch commerce. It fhould, however, be obferved, that almoft the only valuable Ikins, on this weft Tol.II— n°I2. Z fide a- Voyage to T&h fide of North America, are thofe of the fea-otter. Their other ikins were of a fuperior quality; and it fliould be farther obferved, that the greater part of the lkins, which we purchafed of them, were made up into garments. Some of them indeed, were in pretty good condition, others, old and ragged, and all of them extremely loufy. But, as fkins are ufed by tliefe people only for clothing themfelves, they, perhaps, are not at the trouble of dreffing more of them than they require for this purpofe. This is probably the chief caufe of their killing the animals, for they principally receive their fupply of food from the feaand rivers. But if they were once habituated to a conftant trade with foreigners, fuch an in- tercourfe would increafe their wants, by acquaint¬ ing them with new luxuries; to be enabled to purchafe which, they would become more aflidu- ©us in;, procuring Ikins; a plentiful fupply of which might doubtlefs be obtained in this country. The tide is very confiderable in this river, and greatly aflifts to facilitate the navigation of it. In the ftream, it is high water between two and three o’clock, on the days of the new and full moon; and the tides rifes between three and four 7 fathoms.! The njouth of the river being in a corner of the coaft, the ocean forces the flood into it by both fhores, which fwells the tide to a greater height than at other parts of this coaft. CHAP. PACIFIC ocean; 339 CHAP. VII. Departure from Cook's River—Pafs St. Hermogenes —Cape Whitjunday—Whit [untide Ray—Cape Greville—Cape Barnabas■—Two beaded Point — 1 Trinity Ifland—Beering's Foggy Ifland■—Foggy Cape—Pinnacle Point—Defcription of a curious Bird—Account of the Schumagin Ifland—A Ruf¬ fian Letter brought on board the Difcovery—Various ConjeSiures concerning it-—Rock Point—Halibut Ifland — Halibut Head -— A Vilcano — Efcape providentially—Arrival at Oonalajhka—Traffic Voith the Natives there—Another Ruffian Letter brought on board—Defcription of the Harbour of Samganoodha. T HE ebb tide making in our favour, we weighed, and, with a gentle breeze at fouth-weft, plied down the river. The flood, however, obliged us to anchor again; but, about one o’clock the next morning, we got under fail with a frelh breeze, pafled the barren iflands a- bout eight, and at noon Cape St. Hermogenes bore fouth-fouth-eaft, about eight leagues diftant. We intended to go through the paffage between the ifland of that name and the main land; but the wind foaif after failed us, and we had baffling airs from the eaftward ; we, therefore, abandon- X 2 ed X VOYAGE TO THE 3W- ed the defign of carrying our fhip through thaf paffage. We now beheld feveral columns of fmoke on the continent, northward of the paffage; which werp probably meant -as lignals to attradt us thi¬ ther. The land forms a bay here, a low rocky ifland lying off' the north-weft point of it. Some other iHands, of a fi-milar appearance, are fcatter- ed along the coaft between here and Point Banks. About eight in the evening, St. Hermogenes extended from fouth halfeaft to fouth-fouth-eaft; and the rocks bore (buth-eaft, diftant three miles. Here we had forty fathoms water, and catched feveral halibut with hooks and lines. We pafied- the rocks, and bore up to the fouthward about midnight; and, on the yth, at noon, St. Her- mogepes bore north, at the diftance of four leagues. The fouthernmoft point of the main land lay north half weft, five leagues diftant! The latitude of this promontory is 58° 15', and* its longitude 207° 24/. It was named, after the day, Cape-WhitJanday ; and a large bay to the weft of it, was called Whitfuntide Bay. The wind, which had been at north-eaft, fhift- ed to the fouthward about two in the afternoon. The weather was gloomy, and the air cold. At midnight we flood in for the land, and at feven o’clock in the morning of the 8th, we were within four miles of it, and. lefs than two miles* 'from fome funken rocks, bearing weft-fouth-weft. Hero PACIFIC OCEAN. ' 34* Mere we anchored in thirty-five fathoms water. In ftanding in for thecoaft, we pafled the mouth of Whitfuntide Bay, and perceived land all round the bottom of it; therefore the land muft either be connected, or the points lock in behind each other? the former conjecture appears to be the moft probable. There are fome fmall iflands to the weft of the bay. To the fouthward the fea -coaft is low, with projecting rocky points, having fmall inlets between them. Upon the coaft there was no wood, and but little fnow; but the mountains, at fome diftance inland, were entirely covered with fnow. We were now in the latitude ■of 57 0 52 V; the land here forming a point, it was named Cape Greville. Its latitude is 57 0 33', and its longitude 207° 13'. It is fifteen leagues diftant from St. Hermogenes. The 9th, 10th, and nth, we had conftant mifty weather, with fome rain, and feldom had a fight of the coaft; we had a gentle breeze of wind, and the air was raw and cold. We con¬ tinued plying up thecoaft. In the evening of the 12th, the fog clearing up, we faw the land about twelve leagues, diftant, bearing weft; and we flood in for it early the next morning. At noon we were within three miles of it; an elevated point, which was named Cape Barnabas, in the latitude of 57 0 13', 'bore ftorth-north-eaft, at the diftance of about ten miles. We could not fee the north-eaft extreme Z 3 for 342 A VOYAGE TO THE for the haze, but the point to the fouth-weft had an elevated fummit, which terminated in two round hills, and was therefore called Two-headed Point . This part of the coaft is principally com- pofed of high hills, and deep vallies. We could fometimes perceive the tops of other hills, beyond thofe which form the coaft, which had a very barren appearance, though not much incumbered with fnow. Not a tree or bufh was to be found, and the land, in general, had a brownifh hue. We continued to ply, and, at about fix in the evening, being about midway between Cape Bar¬ nabas aud Two-headed Point, two leagues from the fhore, we had fixty-two fathoms water. Here a low point of land was obferved, bearing fouth 69°weft. On the 14th, at noon, we were in the latitude of 56°49'. The land feen in the preceding evening now appeared like tvvo iflands. We were up with the fouthernmoft part of this land the next morning, and perceived it to be an ifland, which obtained the name of Trinity Ifland. Its greateft extent, in the direction of eaft and weft, is about fix leagues. It has naked elevated land at each end, and is low towards the middle. Its latitude is 56° 36', and its longitude 203'- It is diftar.t about three leagues from the continent, between which rocks and iflands are irtterfperfed. There feems, neyerthelefs, to be good paflage, and fafe anchorage. We at firft, imagined that this PACIFIC ©CEAtf. , 343 this was Beering’s Foggy Ifland; but its fituauon is not agreeable to his chart. In the evening, at eight, we were within a league of the fmall iflands above-mentioned. The wefternmoft point of the continent, now in view, we .called Cape Trinity, it being a low point facing Trinity Ifland. In this fituation, we (foodover for the ifland, meaning to work up between that and the main. In Handing over towards the ifland, we met two men in a canoe, paddling from thence to the main : inftead of approaching us, they feemed carefully to avoid it. The wind now inclining to the fouth, we ex¬ pected it would prefently be at fouth-eaft; know¬ ing, from experience, that a fouth eafterly wind was here generally accompanied with a thick fog, we were afraid to venture between the ifland and the continent, left we (hould not be able to ac- complifti our paflage before night, or before the foggy weather came on; when we (hould be un¬ der the neceflity of anchoring, and lofe the ad¬ vantage of a fair wind, induced by thele reafons, we ftretched out to fea, and pafl'ed two or three- rocky iflets, near tlie eaft end of Trinity Ifland. Having weathered the ifland, we tacked abdut four in the afternoon, and fteered weft foutherly, with a gale at fouth-fouth-eaft, which veered to the fouth-eaft about midnight, and was ^tended with rpifty rainy weather. I 4 We 344 A VOYAGE TO THE We expe&ed, fcom the courfewefteered during the night, to fall in with the continent in the morning; and we ftiould, doubtlefs, have feen it, if the weather had been clear. No land appear¬ ing at noon, and the gale and fog increafing, we fteered weft-north-weft, under fuch fail as we could haul the wind with ; fenfible of the danger of running before a ftrong gale, in the vicinity of an unknown coaft, and in a thick fog. It was, however, become neceflary to run fome rilk, when the wind was favourable to us; as we were con¬ vinced, that clear weather was generally accom¬ panied with wefterly winds. About three in the afternoon, land was per¬ ceived through the fog, bearing north-weft, about three miles diftant. We inftantly hauled up fouth, clofe to the wind. The two courfes were foon after fplit, and we had others to bring to the yards: fev.eral of our fails received confidera- ble damage. The gale abated, and the weather cleared up about nine; when we again faw the coaft, about the diftance of five leagues. Our depth was a hundred fathoms water. The fog returned foon after, and was difperfed about four o’clock the next morning ; when we found ourfelves, in fome degree, furrounded by land; the continent, or that which we fuppofed to be the continent, fome elevated land, bearing fouth-eaft, about nine leagues diftant. The ex¬ treme of the main, at the north-eaft, was the point PACIFIC OCEAN. 345 point of land feen during the fog : it wasd name Foggy Cape , and lies in the latitude of 56° 31'. Having had but little wind all night, a breeze now fprung up at north-weft; we ftood to the fouthward with this, in order to make the land plainer, that was feen in that direction. About nine o’clock, we difcovered it to be an ifland, nine miles in circumference, in the lattiude of 56° 1 o', and the longitude of 202° 45'. In our chart, it is named Foggy Ijland, it being reafon- able to fuppofe, from its fituation, that it is the ifland on which Beering had bellowed the fame appellation. Three or four iflands bore north by weft ; a point; with pinnacle rocks upon it, bore north-weft by weft, called Pinnacle Point ; and a duller of iflets fouth-fouth-eaft, about nine leagues from the coaft. In the afternoon we had very little wind, and our pr-ogrefs was inconfider- able. On Wednefday the 17th, we had gentle breezes between weft and north-weft; the weather was perfe&ly clear, and the air dry and Iharp. The continent, about noon, extended from fouth- weft to north by eaft; the neareft part about feven or eight leagues diftan t; a group of iflands lying to the fouth-weft, about the fame diftance from the continent. The weather was clear’and pleafanton the iSth, and it was calm the greateft part of the da/. There is, probably, a,-continuation of the 'conti* nent 346 A VOYAGE TO THE nent between Foggy Cape and Trinity I.fland which the thick weather hindered us from per¬ ceiving. The Commodore having occafion to fend a boat to the difcovery, one of the people a-board her, (hot a mod beautiful bird. , It is fmaller than a duck, and the colour is black, except that the fore-part of the head is white behind each eye, an elegant yellowith-white creft arifes; the bill and feet are of reddith colour.. The firft we law of thefe birds was to the fouthward of Cape St. Hermogenesafter which we faw them daily, and frequently in large flocks. We often faw mofi of the other fea-birds,'that are ufually met with in the nothern ocean; fuch as fhags, gulls, puffins, fheer-waters, ducks, geefe, and fwans; and we feldom palled a day, without feeing whales, feals, and other fifliof great magnitude. We got a light breeze, foutherly, in the after¬ noon, and fleered weft, for the channel between the iftands and the continent. At day-break next morning, we were not far from it, and per¬ ceived feveral other iflands, within thofe that we had already feen, of various dimenfions. But, between thefe iflands, and thofe we had feen be¬ fore, there appeared to be a clear channel, for which we fleered; and, at noon, our latitude was 55 0 18', in the narrowed part of the channel. Qf this groupe of iflands, the largeft was now upon our leu, and is called Kodiak, as we were 3 after- fACfFlC OCEAN. 347 Afterwards informed. The Comodore did not beftow a name upon any of the others, though he fuppofed them to be the fame that Beering lias named Schumagin’s Jfl-nds*. Illands appeared to the fouthward, as far as an ifland could be feen. They begin in the longitude ofaoo 0 15' eaft, and extend about two degrees to the weftward. Moll of thefe iflands are tolerably high, but very barren and rugged ; exhibiting very roman-, tic appearances, and abounding with rocks and cliffs. They have feveral bays and coves about them, and fome frefh-water ftreams defcend from their elevated parts, but the land was not embel- lifhed with a Angle tree or bufh. Plenty offnow ftill remained on many of them, as well as on thofe parts of the continent which appeared be- tween the innermoft iflands. By four o'clock in the afternoon, we had palled all the iflands to the fouth of us. We found thirty fathoms water in the channel, and foon after we had got through it, the Difcovery, which was two miles aftern, fired three guns, and brought to, making a fignal to fpeak with us. Captain Cook was much alarmed at this; for, as no ap¬ parent danger had been obferved in the channel, lie was apprehenfive that the Difcovery had fprung a leak, or met with fome fimilar accident. A boat was lent to her, which immediately re- * Decouvertes des Ruffes* par Muller, p, 26a. 277. turned 54 $ A VOYAGE TO THE turned with Captain- Clerk. He, informed the Commodore, that fome natives in three or four canoes, having followed the (hip for fome time, at laft got under his ftern; one of whom made many figns having his cap off and bowing in the European manner. A rope was then handed down from the Chip, to which he faftened a thin wooden box, and, after he had made forhe more gefticulations, the canoes left the Dilcovery. It was not imagined, that the box contained any thing, till the canoes had departed, when it was accidently opened, and found to contain a piece of paper carefully folded up, .on which fome writing appeared, which they fuppofed to be in the Ruffian language. To this paper was pre¬ fixed the date of 1778, and a reference was made therein to the year x 776. Though unable to de- cypher the alphabet of the writer, we were con¬ vinced, by his numerals, that others had pre¬ ceded us in vifiting thefe dreary regions. Indeed the hopes of fpeedily meeting fome of the Ruffian traders, muft be highly fatisfadory to thofe, who had been fo long converfant with the favages of the Pacific Ocean, and thofe of the continent of North America. At firff. Captain Clerke imagined, that fome Ruffians had been fhipwrecked here; and that, feeing our fhips, thefe unfortunate perfons were induced thus to inform us of their iituation. Deeply impreffed with fentiments of humanity on this PACIFIC OCEAN. 349 tills occafion, he was in hopes the Refolution Would have flopped till they had time to join us ; but no fuch idea ever occurred to Captain Cook. If this had really been the cafe, he fuppofed, that the firft ftep which fuch fhipwreckedperfons would have taken, in order to fecure relief, would have been, to fend fome of their people off to the Chips- in the canoes. He, therefore, rather thought, the paper was intended to communicate fome in- . formation, from fome Ruffian trader, who had lately vifited thefe iflands, to be delivered to any of his countrymen who fhould arrive; and that the natives fuppofing us to be Ruffians, had brought off the note. Convinced of this, he en¬ quired no father into the matter but made fail, and fleered to the weflward. We ran all night with a gentle breeze at north- eafl; and the next morningat two, fome breakers- were feen within us, diflant about two miles j others were foon after feen a-head, and they were innumerable on our larboard bow, and alfo be¬ tween us and the land. By holding afouthcourfe,, we, withdifficulty, cleared them. Thefe breakers- were produced by rocks, many of which were above water ; they are very dangerous, and ex¬ tend feven leagues from land. We got on their out fide about noon, when our latitude was 54 0 44',, and our longitude 198'. The nearefl land was an elevated bluff point and . was named Rock Point; it bore north, about eight leagues diflant 1 the A VOYAGE TO Tit# 35 ° the wefternmoft part of the main bore north-weft# and a high round hill, called Halibut Head f bore fopth-weft, diftant abut thirteen leagues. At noon on the 21ft, we made but little pro- grejfs, having only faint winds and cairns. Hali¬ but Head then bore north 24 0 weft; and the iflahd where it is fifuated, called Halibut Ijiand , extended from north by eaft to north-weft. This ifland is feVen leagues in circumference, and, ex¬ cept the head is very low and barren; feveral fmall iflands are near it, between which and the main, there appears to be a paflage, of the breadth of two or three leagues. We were kept at fuch a diflance from the con¬ tinent, by the rocks and breakers, that we had a very diftant view of the coaft between Halibut Ifland and Rock Point. We could, however* perceive the main land covered /with fnow ; and particularly fome hills, whofe elevated tops towered above the clouds to a moft ftupendous height. A volcano was feenon the moft fouth- wefterly of thefe hills, which perpetually threw up immenfe columns of black fmoke ; it is at no great diftance from the coaft, and is in the lati¬ tude of 54 0 48', and the longitude of 195° 45',. Its figure is a complete cone, and the volcano is at the fummit of it: remarkable as it may appear, the wind, at the height to which the fmoke of the volcano rofe, often moved in an oppofite di¬ rection to what it did at fea, even in a frelh gale. Having PACIFIC OCEAN. Having three hours calm in the afternoon, up¬ wards of an hundred halibuts were caught by our people,- fome of which weighed upwards of aa hundred pounds, and none of them lefs than twenty. They were highly acceptable to us. We fifhed in thirty-five fathoms water, about four miles diftant from the fhore; during which time we were vilited by a man in a finall canoe, who came from the large illand. When he approached the fhip, he uncovered his head and bowed as the other had done the preceding bay, when he came off to the Difcovery. That the Ruffians had fome communication with thefe people, was evident, not only from their politenefs, but from the written paper al¬ ready mentioned. We had now an additional proof of it; for our new vifitor had on a pair of green cloth breeches, and a jacket of black cloth, under the frock of his own country. He had with him a grey fox fhin; and fome filhing im¬ plements: alfo a bladder, in which was fome liquid, which we fuppofed to be oil; for he opened it, drank a mouthful, and then clofed it up again. His canoe was fmaller than thofe we had feen before, though of the fame conftru&ion; like thofe who had vilited the Difcovery, he ufed the double-bladed paddle. His features refembled thofe of the natives of Prince William’s Sound but he wa§ perfectly free from any kind of paint ; and A vqyage to THE $$* and his lip had been perforated in an oblique di* reft ion, though, at that time, he had not any ornament in it. Many of the words, fo frequently ufed by our vilitors in the Sound, were repeated to him, but he did not appear to underftand any of them ; owing^eicher to his ignorance of the dialeft, or our erroneous pronunciation. The weather was principally cloudy and hazy, till .the afternoon of the 22d, when the wind fhifted to thefouth-eaft, attended, as ufual, with thick rainy weather. Before the fog, we faw no part of the main land, except the volcano, and a neighbouring mountain. We fteered weft till feven, when, fearing we might fall in with the land in thick Weather, we hauled to the fouthward till two the next morning, and then bore away weft. Our progrefs was but trifling, having but little wind, and that variable; at five o’clock in the afternoon, we had an interval of fun-fbine, when we faw land, bearing north 59 0 weft. On the 24th, at fix in the morning, we faw the continent, and at nine it extended from north- eaft-by-eaft, to fouth-weft-by weft; the neareft part four leagues diftant. The land to the fouth- weftconfifted of iflands, being what we had feen the preceding night. In the evening being about the diftance of four leagues from the fhore, and having little wind, we threw out our hooks and lines, but caught only two or three little cod. We PACIFIC OCEAN. 353 We got an eafterly breeze the next morning, and, with it, what was very uncommon, clear weather ; infomuch, that we clearly faw the vol¬ cano, the other mountains, and all the main land under them. It extended from north-eaft by north, to north-weft half weft. Between this point and the iflands, a large opening appeared, for which we fteered, till land was feen beyond it; and, though we did not perceive that this land joined the continent, a paflage through the opening was very doubtful; as well as whether the land to the fouth-weft was infular or conti¬ nental. Unwilling to truft too much to appear¬ ances, we therefore fteered to the fouthward; when, having got without all the land in fight, we fteered weft, the iflands lying in that direc¬ tion. Three of them, all of a good height, we had paffed by eight o’clock; more were now feen to the weft ward. In the afternoon, the weather be¬ came gloomy, and afterwards turned to a mift, the wind blowing frelh at call. We therefore hauled the wind to the fouthward till day-break, and then preceded on our courfe to the weft. We derived but little advantage from day¬ light, the weather being fo thick that we could not difcover objedts at the diftance ©f a hundred yards; but, as the wind was moderate, we ven¬ tured to run. About half an hour after four, the found of breakers alarmed us, on our larboard Vol. II.— n° 12. A a bowj £54 A VOYAGE TO THE bow; we found twenty-eight fathoms water, and then twenty-five. We brought the fhip to, and anchored in the laft depth ; the Commodore or¬ dering the Difcovery, who was not far diftant, to anchor alfo. Some hours after, the fog being a little difi perfed, we difcovered the imminent danger we had efcaped, We were three quarters of a mile from the north-eaft fide of an ifland ; two ele¬ vated rocks were about half a league from us, and from each other. Several breakers alfo ap¬ peared about them; and yet-Providence had fafely conducted the fhips through in the dark, between thofe rocks, which we Ihould not have attempted to have done in a clear day, and to io commodious an anchoring place. Being fo near land, Captain Cook ordered a boat alhore, to examine what it produced. When ihe returned in the afternoon, the officer who commanded her faid, he faw fome grafs, and other fmall plants, one of which had the appear¬ ance of purflain; but the ifland produced neither frees nor fhrubs. The wind blew frefh at fouth, in the night, but in the morning was more moderate, and the fog, in a great degree, difperfed. We weighed at feven o’clock, and fleered between the ifland pear which we had anchored, and a fmall one not far from it. The breadth of the channel does pot exceed a mile, and the wind failed before we could PACIFIC OCEAN. 355 could pafs through it; we were therefore obliged to anchor, which we did in thirty-four fathoms water. Land now' prefented itfelf in every di¬ rection. That to the fouth extended, in a ridge of mountains, to the fouth-weft; which we af¬ terwards found to be an ifland called Oonalojhka, Between this ifland, and the land to the north, which we fuppofed to be a group of iflands, there appeared to be a channel hi a north weft direc¬ tion. On a point, weft from the ihip, and at the diftance of three quarters of a mile, we per¬ ceived feveral natives and their habitations. To this place wefaw two whales towed in, which we fuppofed had juft been killed. A few of the in¬ habitants, occafionally, came off to the (hips, and engaged in a little traffic with our people, but never continued with us above a quarter of an hour at a time. They feemed, indeed, re¬ markably fhy; though we could readily difcover they were not unacquainted with veflels, timilar, in fome degree, to ours. Their manner difplay- ed a degree of politenefs which we had never ex¬ perienced among any of the favage tribes. About one in the afternoon, being favoured withalight breeze,and the tide offbod,we weigh¬ ed, and proceeded to the channel laft mentioned ; expecting, when we had palled through, either to'had the land trend away to the northward ; or that 'we Ihould difcover a paftage out to fea, to the weft. For we did not fuppofe ourfelves to 356 A VOYAGE TO THE be in an inlet of the continent, but among iflands; and we were right in our conjeChirers. Soon after we got under fail, the wind veered to the north, and we were obliged to ply. The depth of water was from forty to twenty-feven fathoms. In the evening, the ebb made it neceffary for us to an¬ chor within three leagues of our lafb ftation. We weighed the next morning at day-break, and were wafted up the palfage by a light breeze at fouth ; after which we had variable light airs from all directions. There was, however, a rapid tide in our favour, and the Refolution got through before the ebb made. The Difcovery was not equally fortunate, for fhe was carried back, got into the race, and found a difficulty in getting clear of it. Being now through the channel* we found the land, on one fide, trending weft and fouth-weft, and that on the other fide to north. This en¬ couraged us to hope, that the continent had taken a new direction in our favour. Being fhort of water, and expeCting to be driven about in a rapid tide, without wind fufficient to govern the fhip, we flood for a harbour the fouth fide of the paflage, but were driven beyond it; and, that we might not be forced back through the paflage, anchored near the fouthern fhore, in twenty-eight fathoms water, and out of the reach of the ftrong tide; though, even here, it ran five knots and an half in an hour. In PACIFIC OCEAN. 357 In this fituation, we were vifited by feveral of the natives in feparate canoes. They bartered fome fifhing implements for tobacco. A young man^ among them, overfet his canoe, while he was along-fide of one of our boats. He was caught hold of by one of our people, but the canoe was taken up by another and carried afhore. In confequence of this accident, the youth was obliged to come into the fhip, where he was in¬ vited into the cabin, and readily accepted the invitation, without any furprize or embarraff- ment. He had on an upper garment, refem- blingafhirt, made of the gut of a whale, or fome other large fea-animal. Under this, he had ano¬ ther of the fame form, made of the fkins of birds with the feathers on, curioufly fewed together ; the feathered fide placed next his lkin. It was patched with feveral pieces of filk fluff, and his cap was embellifhed with glafs beads. His cloaths being wet, we furnifhed him with fome of our own, which he put on with as much readinefs as we could have done. From the be¬ haviour of this youth, and,that of feveral others, it evidently appeared, that thcfe people were no ftrangers to Europeans, and to many of their cuf- toms. Some thing in our Chips, however, greatly excited their curiofity; for, fuch as had not ca¬ noes to bring them off, arTembled on the neigh¬ bouring hills to have a view of them. At A VOYAGE TO THE 358 At low water we towed the fhip into the har¬ bour, where we anchored in nine fathoms water, the Difcovery arriving foon after. A boat was fent to draw the feine, but we caught only a few trout, and fome other fmall fifh. We had not long anchored, before a native of the illand brought another note on board, fimi- lar to that which had been given to Captain Clerke. He prcfented it to Captain Cook; but, as it was written in the Ruffian language, neither he, nor any of us, could read it. As it could not be of any ufe to us, and might probably be of confequence to others, the Commodore re¬ turned it to the bearer, accompanied with a few prefents ; for which he expreffed his thanks, as he retired, by feveral low bows. On the 29th, we faw along the fihore, a group of the natives of both fexes, feated on the grafs, partaking of a repaft of raw filh, which they feemed to relifh exceedingly. We were detained by thick fogs, and a con¬ trary wind, till the 2d of July ; during which time we acquired fome knowledge of the coun¬ try, as well as of its inhabitants; the particulars of which fhall be hereafter related. This harbour is called Samganoodha , by the natives, and is fituated on the north fide of Oonalalhka, the latitude being 53 0 55', the lon¬ gitude 193 0 30'; and in the ftrait which feparates this illand from thofe to the north. It is about a mile FACIFIG OCEAN. 359 a mile broad at the entrance, and runs in about four miles fouth by weft. It narrows towards the head, the breadth there not exceeding a quar¬ ter of a mile. Plenty of good water may be procured here, but not a piece of wood of any fgE END OF THE SECOND VOLUME.